Another Age, Another Adventure
by Sonic the Saiyan
Summary: In an alternate world where the fight with Buu ended before Gohan began his life as a highschool student, the compounding secrets he's carrying are sure to make fitting in a challenge moreso than ever. Especially when one of his classmates is closer to them than he's comfortable with. His ceaselessly eventful life protecting the planet isn't doing him any favors either! GxV
1. Chapter 1

**Alright. Here, we have a brand new story from me. A little while back, I dived into my first pure Dragon Ball Z Fanfiction, and in doing so, I discovered one thing. It's tough to have one true pairing when you keep falling for new ones. And my first experience with Dragon Ball Z stories was Gohan, and Videl. And of course, whenever I fall for a new archetype of story, my brain can't help but shift into** _ **maximum overdrive**_ **to think up my own plot. It's nearly a reflex. And… I think I have a good one here.**

 **In this story, we've got a bit of an AU going, because here, besides some other minor changes, Gohan isn't going to highschool until after the conclusion of the Buu Saga. Yes. The entire Saga went down before Gohan even left Mt. Pauzo. This chapter will mainly be a prologue, detailing out how the majority of the Saga went down with these changes.**

 **I'm trying to make this story as unique as possible. I hope I live up to your expectations!**

* * *

 **Prologue: Another Time…**

* * *

"What?! No way! Dad, you're really coming back for a day?!"

"Yeah, in about a month, on the day of the World Martial Arts Tournament" Goku said, speaking from Otherworld through King Kai.

"The World Tournament?" Gohan asked, curious as to why he chose that particular day.

"Well, I figured it would be a great chance for us to spend some time together seeing how strong we've all become" Goku said cheerfully. "It'll be just like old times for Krillin and the others, and you'll be able to experience your own!"

Gohan grimaced, as he couldn't help but remember that he _had_ taken place in a world championship before, just not the Tenkaichi Budokai itself. That time hadn't gone well. It had been dreadfully boring, until he and his friends were put up against a band of space pirates and their leader, Bojack. Then, he would have prefered the boring again.

But this time, not only would there be no threat like Bojack, but his father would be there! His father, who he hadn't seen in almost seven years, since Cell's defeat. The greatest hero the world would never know.

"This sounds too good to be true" ChiChi said, clutching her chest. "But, you only get a day?"

"Twenty-four hours" Goku said. "From one morning to the one after."

"Oh, it figures you'd choose the one day that the tournament is going on to come back" ChiChi frowned. "Why couldn't you spend it with your family?"

"But I _will_ be spending it with my family" Goku pointed out. "We'll all be able to be together during the tournament, we'll have a chance to spar, and afterwards, we can find something else to do."

ChiChi's frown lessened. "Well, I guess when you put it like that…" she mused.

"And besides, even if I wanted to, I couldn't choose a different day" Goku said. "King Kai told me that I'm only allowed to come for a day on the seventh day after each seventh anniversary of my death. It didn't make much sense to me, but that's what he told me."

"Look on the bright side, Mom" Gohan said happily. "Dad'll be coming back for the entire day, tournament or no, and it'll give us an excuse to have a family gathering!"

"Yeah, you are right" ChiChi said. "Kami knows the last time we were able to actually visit with Bulma and the others." She looked up. "Oh, Goku, I can't wait to see you again!"

"And I can't wait to see all of you either, ChiChi" Goku said. "Well, I've got to go for now. King Kai is griping about long-distance calls again. I'll see you all at the tournament!"

"Bye, Dad!" Gohan said, waving upwards.

"Bye, Goku" ChiChi said, doing the same.

And with that, the unmistakable presence Goku had had, even if it was ever so brief, had left them once again. Gohan and ChiChi were left standing all alone in their living room.

Gohan turned around and grinned. "Dad's coming home!" he cheered. "Just a month away. We'll get to see him again, Goten will be able to meet him, this is all awesome!"

While she wasn't as outwardly energetic about it, ChiChi was just as happy as her son that Goku would be returning. "I'm sure Goten will be very excited, son" she smiled.

Gohan nodded, before a thought came to mind. "Hey Mom?" he asked. "Since Dad'll be coming back to participate in the tournament, do you think that, well, if it would be already for me to skip studying for a while to get some training in?"

"What?" ChiChi asked. "I thought I raised you better than that. You _know_ your studies take priority over everything else!"

"But Mom!" Gohan complained. "I'm already ahead of most college graduates, and then some. Besides, don't the World Tournaments usually have prize money involved? You were talking the other day about not having enough money to pay the bills. If I train, there's a better chance I could win for us."

Frowning, ChiChi sighed. "You do raise a good point" she said. "Just making it to the semifinals in that tournament with Goku would have earned me a million zeni, if the ring hadn't gotten blown up afterwards." She looked up. "Between you and Goku, I'm sure one of you can at least make it to the finals."

"'At least?'" Gohan chuckled. "Don't be too confident in us, Mom."

"Listen, I know just about no fighter out there holds a candle my little boy" ChiChi said. "But if Goku's entering, then that barbarian Vegeta probably will too. He does nothing _but_ train, and he doesn't care about injuring people."

"Oh, Vegeta, how could I have forgotten about him?" Gohan facepalmed. " _If I get matched up with him before he gets matched up with my Dad, I'm as good as dead. He would do anything to fight him."_

ChiChi gave her son a sharp look. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked, surprising him. "If you're going to be training instead of studying, then I expect you to put your full effort into it. We still have a few hours of daylight left, go make the most of it! I'll send Goten for you when he comes back from his play date with Trunks."

Surprised that she had not only relented so easily, but was now _commanding_ him to go train, Gohan stumbled for a moment before dashing for his room. "Alright, Mom" he said. Stopping in his closet, Gohan swiftly threw on a navy blue gi, and grabbed four weighted bands, fitting them around his wrists and ankles, before flying out the window, almost colliding with the frame.

" _Geez, I really am out of shape"_ he thought, the harsh reality hitting him. " _This weight would have been nothing seven years ago. Man, I hope that I have enough time to get back into practice."_

* * *

 **One Month Later**

* * *

"Man, I can't tell you how good it feels to finally be out of the house" Gohan said, stretching. "I can't remember the last time I left Mount Paozu."

"I wish ChiChi would let you out more, but I guess she is trying to give you a good life" his father, halo hanging above his head, shrugged.

Mere moments ago, upon the arrival of the entire gang to the ancient island the Tenkaichi Budokai was always hosted on, Goku had flitted into existence, alongside Roshi's sister, Baba. Goku and the others were warned that he only had 24 hours to stay, so to make the most of it unless they wanted to wait another seven years.

But even that reminder couldn't bring them down. A tearful reunion soon followed, and Goten was able to meet Goku for the first time. He was nervous, but quickly warmed up to his full-blooded Saiyan father, who couldn't be any different than the only other full Saiyan he knew, Trunks' dad. He was currently riding on his father's shoulder as they walked towards registration.

"And he will have one" ChiChi declared. "My baby is going to be able to go anywhere and do anything he wants in a few years."

"Mom…" Gohan groaned, turning slightly red. "Do you have to call me that in public? I'm almost seventeen, it's embarrassing!"

"Gohan, you know full well that you will _always_ be my baby" ChiChi delivered the classic mom phrase, much to Gohan's chagrin.

Goku chuckled at his son. "So, we just have to not go Super Saiyan? That sounds alright to me."

"To me as well, Kakarot" Vegeta smirked, trailing behind the group. "Even without the transformation, I will utterly humiliate you in the ring."

"Oh yeah?" Goku asked. "Well, I guess miracles can happen."

" _Miracles,_ eh?" Vegeta's smirk grew. "Please, I don't even need _one_ of the Dragon Balls to make this happen."

"Aaaaaand, they're off" Gohan said as his father and Vegeta continued to bicker.

For several minutes, that was all he was able to hear, before a roaring of loud cheers began to wash over them all. His father and Vegeta managed to look up from their debate long enough to see what was going on.

"Oh look, it's the clown that makes Kakarot look downright Saiyan" Vegeta huffed.

"YEEEAAAAAHH!" the unmistakable deep voice of Hercule Satan rang over the chaos.

Krillin massaged his temples. "You know, I bet that he's going to go on some speech about how we're just tricksters and he's the strongest on the planet. It takes an exceptionally good liar to believe his own stories."

"I'll say" Yamcha agreed. "I'm not even fighting, and I feel bad for all the energy users in the tournament."

"So… Us?" Gohan asked.

"Yup, pretty much it" Yamcha laughed.

Piccolo looked over towards the crowd. "It was necessary for us to let him take the credit for Cell, but I didn't think he would go so far as to discredit the ones who did all the work. I suspect my former incarnation would have enjoyed that particular brand of evil."

Krillin rolled his eyes. "Not sure about evil, but whatever it is, let's go before we have to hear any more of it."

"I'D SAY MY CHANCES OF WINNING ARE ABOUT, 120%!"

Krillin sighed. "Too late."

* * *

"Good 'ol number 1" Goku grinned as he held his ball up to the announcer.

"Alright, then that only leaves…" the announcer looked down. "Mighty Mask. Mighty Mask, are you here?"

"Coming!" an extremely awkward sounding voice came from beneath a green and white cloak as he hobbled over.

"Sheesh, get a load of that guy" Krillin muttered. "I've never seen a fighter so uncoordinated make it through the preliminaries. Probably courtesy of that punching machine Vegeta broke."

"It's not my fault that their weak Earthling technology can't even handle one quarter of a real punch" Vegeta defended himself.

"Number 8, I see" the announcer scribbled it down. "Alright, and with that, we have our listings."

Turning the large board around, everyone got a clear look at the matchups. Of course, only one mattered to the Z-Fighters.

"Goku and Vegeta in the first round?!" Krillin exclaimed. Piccolo's eyes bulged, and for the umpteenth time that day, Gohan let out an exasperated sigh and facepalmed. Krillin turned around to face the others. "Well, guys, looks like we won't have to worry about our fights. This island is going to by seven thousand leagues under the sea before we even get to step into the ring."

"Awesome, I get to fight Vegeta while I'm still nice and fresh!" Goku cheered. "This is gonna be great."

"Yes, if by great you mean painful" Vegeta said. "Well, Kakarot, are you ready to get pounded into the tiles?"

"Come on, you'd have to get above me first to pound me down" Goku teased.

Vegeta's face burned red. "Was _that_ a joke about my height?" he growled lowly. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was people making fun of his height.

"I dunno, was it?" Goku asked innocently.

"OH, you are _so_ going to get it out there!" Vegeta declared.

The first round consisted of eight matchups. Up first, the two Saiyans, which made any and all subsequent matches seem rather inconsequential. Up next was a mysterious fighter Shin against Gohan. Then it was Spopovich vs. Krillin, Pintar vs. Yamu, Killa against Mighty Mask, Kibito vs. Videl, Jewel vs. Piccolo, and 18 vs. Hercule to tie up the first round.

"Ugh, I'm not even going to get a warmup" 18 muttered. "Oh well, at least we can finally shut that buffoon up." Considering that Hercule kept claiming to have bested Cell, who had defeated 18 herself, she felt a twinge more annoyed at his claims over the others.

"Just take it easy on him" Krillin warned her wife. "For how strong he claims to be, he might as well be made of glass. You don't need to get the boot for cracking his skull by poking him."

"Fine" 18 said plainly, turning away.

Gohan frowned and stood beside his father. "Do we have a read on those two yet?" he asked, nodding towards Shin and Kibito.

Goku shook his head. "It's strange. I can feel them, and they're powerful, but I can't get a lock on them." He scratched his head. "I've never felt anything like it. Their energy, it's different."

"Well, I have to fight that Shin guy right after you and Vegeta fight" Gohan stated. "That is, if the ring is still standing. I guess I'll just do my best."

Goku clapped him on the back. "Come on, I'm sure you'll do great" he said.

"Thanks, but that all depends on how strong Shin is" Gohan pointed out. "I mean, I've only trained this last month out of the last seven years. Literally all the rest of my time has been studying, eating, and sleeping. I've barely been outside, so I'm still a little out of shape."

Goku blinked. "I knew ChiChi was keeping things strict, but I didn't know you've been locked inside…" he said. "You never really got a chance to be a kid, did you?"

"Nah, not really, but that's ok" Gohan said. "I'm able to get out right now, and I'm loving it."

Goku frowned a little, before turning back to the ring. "Well, it looks like I'm up against Vegeta in a few minutes here. I promise, I'll be right back after I've knocked him out, then we can have our fight!"

Gohan chuckled at his father, still so childishly excited over the idea of a good battle. "Ok. Go kick his butt, I think his pride has grown a little out of control. Cut him down to size." He paused. "Well, _more_ down to size."

Goku smiled. "You bet. See ya' in a bit, son!"

As Goku emerged out into the center of the stadium alongside Vegeta, as the announcer began to introduce him as a former champion of the tournament, Gohan all of a sudden felt a sick sense of foreboding. It was gone almost as soon as it left, but it left his stomach crawling. He glanced around. He felt some form of bad energy around him, but he couldn't pinpoint it on either of the two mysterious fighters.

" _What is that?"_ he wondered.

* * *

"Well, Kakarot, I personally think that we would need a whole planet to stage our rematch upon, but I suppose this will have to do for now" Vegeta said, dropping into stance.

Goku fell into his own stance, staring back, unwavering. "You're in my world now, Vegeta" he smirked. "I'm used to these tournaments. Let's see how far you can go without breaking any of the rules."

"Oh yeah?" Vegeta asked. "How about this? We skip the warm up, and go all out, right here, right now."

"Sounds great" Goku nodded, muscles tensing.

A gust of wind shot outwards, buffeting all the spectators in the stands. Eyes grew wide as a brilliant white aura sprang up around the two fighters, making everything else seem dim in contrast.

They rose their power as high as they could go without transforming, before dropping low, ready to spring at each other at the drop of a pin.

Vegeta's foot shifted ever so slightly, and Goku lunged forward, arm raised. Ready to sink it into his eternal rival, Goku suddenly stopped short, ten feet away, eyes widening in surprise. "Hrrgh" he grunted, trying to move, but immobilized by some invisible force.

Vegeta, still on the ground, tried to move too, but found himself similarly frozen. "What the devil is this?!" he swore.

Goku's eyes snapped to the side, where he could barely make out two figures dashing towards them out of the corner of his vision. Two fighters, Spopovich and Yamu, dashed towards them. He tried to turn and meet them, but was still frozen. The announcer tried to tell the two off for interfering with the fight, but they didn't falter. Yamu held a large pot with a sharp spout in his hands. And its purpose rapidly became clear.

Spopovich came up behind Vegeta and locked him into a bear hug, pinning his arms and trapping him even more, before Yamu lunged forward and sank the pointed tip deep into Vegeta's side. Vegeta grunted in pain, and began growling as his aura rapidly faded, sinking back into his body and out of the wound, into the pot. Vegeta grew pale, and his struggling slowly stopped, until he was completely limp.

"Vegeta, no!" Goku shouted.

Spopovich dropped Vegeta's body to the ground, where he lied still, barely breathing. Yamu removed the pot and turned around. "The other one" he said gruffly, before the two sprang forward at him.

Goku tensed up, using all his power in an attempt to break free of whatever restraint they were casting, but couldn't break through. Just as he was about to be stabbed by their strange pot, a bright blue beam of light shot post them, soaring up into the air between the two. Grimacing, the two muscle-bound fighters turned away from Goku and darted into the air.

Goku felt himself be released as he fell back to the ground, just in time to see Gohan dash into the ring, hair ignited a fiery gold, an ascended Super Saiyan. "Dad, are you alright?!" he asked, kneeling down to check on his father.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but Vegeta doesn't look too good" Goku said, looking at the fallen Saiyan prince.

"...Of… Of all the times… To not have… One of those damn beans…" Vegeta said, anger shining through the weakness in his voice.

Goku reached down and flung Vegeta over his shoulder. "Come on, we'll get you fixed up."

"No, leave him right there" a new voice commanded them. Goku and Gohan turned around to see a large man with red skin strolling towards them, Kibito. Shin trailed right behind him.

Now that the immediate shock was ending, Gohan became dimly aware of the crowd's panic, and was glad he was disguised as a Super Saiyan. "What do you want?" he said sharply, still on edge from the previous events.

"Watch your tone" Kibito commanded. "Now, set Vegeta on the ground."

"Yeah, tell me why" Goku said, face stern. He still wasn't sure about these two.

"Goku, we are running out of time" Shin said, stepping up alongside Kibito. "Allow Vegeta on the ground, and Kibito will take care of him. Meanwhile, you must come with me. You as well, Gohan."

"Hang on, how did you know it was me?" Gohan asked. "And who are you to tell me and my dad what to do?"

"That is no way to address the Supreme Kai" Kibito said sharply.

Goku gasped. "The _Supreme Kai?_ " he said. "King Kai said you exist, but even he barely knew anything about you."

"There is a reason for that" Shin said. "But for now, trust me. We don't have time to waste."

Hesitating for a split second, he placed Vegeta back on the ground. He stood up and looked at the Supreme Kai. "Ok, I will" he said. "What do you need us to do?"

Shin levitated into the air. "Follow me" he said simply. "Oh, and I trust that you, Piccolo, will tell the others that want to help the same?"

He hadn't raised his voice at all, which meant he knew Piccolo. Back in the waiting room, the two of them caught a glimpse of the Namekian nodding and turning away.

Turning in the air, Shin flew off in the direction that Spopovich and Yamu had flown in. Goku looked over at his son. "Well, I hope that your mom won't be too mad at us" he said, lifting off the ground.

Still transformed, Gohan couldn't help but chuckle darkly as his father said that. "Me too, but for now, let's see what the Supreme Kai needs."

The two took off into the blue sky, ignoring the gasps from the stadium below, as Kibito kneeled over Vegeta, a bright light pouring from his hands.

And down in the champion's box, one voice rang clear over the tumult the stadium was in. "IT'S A TRICK, IT'S ALL A TRICK!"

Krillin nudged Yamcha in the side. "Alright, pay up."

* * *

 **Three Days Later**

* * *

Majin Buu had been freed. Babidi's magic had managed to collect all the magic he needed to unleash the demon, before they went on a rampage. Goku had fought at full power, in the new state he had unlocked, Super Saiyan 3, but even that proved to be too little to stop the monster. Using the last of the energy he had left after his battle, he got his son and Vegeta's child started on practicing the Fusion Technique, before the last of his energy left him, and he returned to Otherworld, where he found his son, but miraculously, not in the way he expected.

Goten and Trunks mastered the Fusion Technique in just a few days, giving birth to the new super warrior, Gotenks. So far, two attempts to defeat Majin Buu with this new warrior had failed, and before they could try the job once more, he changed. The evil became more prevalent, and the new Super Buu was born.

After training for a long time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, they fought Super Buu, now on a completely new level. With nearly the entire populace of Earth killed by Buu's attack, Gotenks didn't hold back, and used 100% of his power, as a Super Saiyan 3.

However, just before the job could be finished, his power failed him, and Buu had gained the advantage once more. All hope seemed lost, until _he_ came swooping in.

Gohan, donned in an orange gi, not unlike his father's, flew out of the sky, and began to decimate the Majin with almost no effort. He held the complete advantage, and no matter how hard he tried, Buu could not stand up to him. Which is why, as a last resort, Buu self-destructed, causing Gohan to flee with the children and Piccolo.

And so, there they were, flying over the wasteland that the Earth had become, and Piccolo wondered how Gohan had gone from the kid he knew before to the new, confident, powerful warrior that flew alongside him. Gohan simply chuckled in response.

"While I'm glad that we now have the means to defeat Buu, it makes little difference now" Piccolo sighed, having gotten over his happiness at Gohan's return. "Buu murdered everyone, including Dende, which means the Dragon Balls are useless stones now. We can't wish anyone back!"

Gohan shook his head. "You're too soon to give up hope, Piccolo" he said. "Can't you feel it? There aren't exactly many distractions out there."

"What?" Piccolo asked. Closing his eyes, within seconds, he gasped. "How could I have missed that before? It's so obvious!"

"He's still out there" Gohan nodded. "The little guy's a survivor, I'll tell you that much." He frowned in concentration. "Hey, there's someone else out here, too" he noticed. "I thought Buu killed everyone?"

"He did" Piccolo said, frowning. A moment later, that frown transition to a light grin. "Well, what do you know? Of all the people to survive, he would still be around."

"Who is it?" Gohan asked.

Piccolo nodded downwards. Narrowing his eyes, Gohan looked downwards, and managed to barely make out a figure with bushy hair and dressed in brown and white. "You're kidding me…" he chuckled, turning downwards and descending through the air.

"Oh, Angel of Death, just take me now" Hercule's voice came up to them. At that moment, Gohan flew right between Hercule and the sun, casting his shadow over him. Looking up in surprise, Hercule shrieked. "NO, wait, I take it back!"

Grabbing Hercule by the shoulders, Gohan flew back into the air, making extra sure to not drop the struggling man as he rejoined the other three. Hercule slowly unfurled and stopped struggling, looking around. His face became confused, as he recognized Trunks, the boy who had slugged him into the wall during the Junior Championships, and Goten, his opponent there. He noticed Piccolo, or as he knew him, Majunior. And then he looked up and noticed Gohan.

"How's it goin', Mr. Satan?" Gohan asked, smiling. He noticed a small dog cradled in Hercule's gi, and was glad that he hadn't accidentally dropped it either.

"Uh… You all, from the Tournament" Hercule stuttered. "What… What in the… How…?"

"It's a long story, Satan" Piccolo said. "We'll explain it once we're there."

"What?" Hercule asked. "Where? Who _are_ you guys?"

"Well, I'm just our biggest hope of beating Buu."

"What? How could you defeat Buu?" Hercule asked, half glaring at Gohan. "Whatever trick your using to fly, it wouldn't be enough to stop a monster like what he turned into."

"First off, it's not a trick" Gohan pointed out. "Just because you don't know how, doesn't change that. And as for how I could beat Buu, well, you might not recognize me, but you might remember an alias I was known by once."

"Huh?" Hercule asked.

"Mr. Satan, I was the delivery boy."

* * *

The group had flown in silence for a while, until Piccolo spotted Dende on the surface below. There was a brief reunion with the guardian, who hadn't learned that Gohan was still alive yet, before they settled down and clued each other in on the situation.

"What? He killed _everyone?!_ " Hercule exclaimed.

"Yes, just two hours ago, Majin Buu killed all the remaining humans on the planet" Piccolo said. "You and those of us right near him were the only ones spared. However, even our friends soon fell to his second attack."

"B-b-but, that can't be right! They must be hiding, everyone c-c-can't be dead!" Hercule protested.

"Listen, Hercule!" Piccolo said, more sternly. "We can sense life force. Whether you continue to call it a trick or not, this is real! And through our sense, we know, for a fact, that besides us and Buu himself, only one person has survived, one of our allies. Buu, him, and us are the only ones left. No. One. Else. Survived!"

Hercule fell to the ground. "Buu… He used to be good…" he whimpered. "He changed… And he killed everyone… He… He killed my daughter… My little girl…"

Even Piccolo couldn't say anything to this. He had been aware that Buu had been changed by Hercule, but when he entered his Super Form, all of that left. And to lose a loved one… It was hard on anyone.

Gohan's face fell, and hesitantly, he placed a hand on Hercule's shoulder. "We've _all_ lost people to Buu, Mr. Satan" he said. "Me and Goten lost our mothers, Trunks lost both his parents, and just about all of our friends have passed away."

"All gone…" Hercule sobbed.

"Hey, don't worry, Mister" Goten said cheerily. "We found Dende. Everyone can come back to life once the Buu monster is dead!"

Hercule frowned and shot a glare at the young child. To a normal human, the look would have been terrifying. Goten didn't even blink. "Don't you understand, you little brat?!" he nearly shouted. " _Dead_ is _dead!_ No one can come back from the dead!"

"That's actually not quite true, Mr. Satan" Dende said. "You see, when I came here-"

His sentence stopped short as he gasped and looked skyward, the boys, Gohan, and Piccolo following suit. "He's back… So soon!" Piccolo growled.

"What? Who?" Hercule asked, stopping short as he realized there could only be one 'he.' "B-b-b-buu?"

Sure enough, far on the horizon, a pink being rapidly approached through the air. Sparks leapt up around Gohan, and his eyes sharpened as he locked onto the Majin. "It's okay, guys" he said. "His power hasn't gone up one bit. I've got this handled."

* * *

"No! Gohan's getting beaten out there!" Goku cursed, slamming his fist on the ground hard enough to form a crater. "Damn it! When Buu absorbed the boys and Piccolo, he became too strong!"

"No, I never thought he would absorb those two" Shin said fearfully. "He hasn't done that since… Since…" he couldn't continue.

Goku frowned in anger. "I can't let Gohan fight him alone!" he shouted. While Tien had shown up a moment ago, he had been taken down almost immediately. "I need to go help him!" he said, raising two fingers to his forehead.

"Now hold on a minute" Elder Kai said, distracting Goku. "Do you realize the peril that you'll be in if you go back now? You've used up your accumulated spiritual energy from over the past seven years, and without a transport, you'll be much weaker when you arrive."

"So?" Goku said defiantly. "I've been to Earth without a transport before. I saved my son from Bojack, and I can help save him from Buu!"

"Hmm..." Elder Kai hummed in concentration. "No, that won't work again. I see what you mean, but that little visit last time is not the same case as this time. Strong enough to stun that cretin Bojack, you were, but you wouldn't have had the strength to fight him head on. Without saved spiritual energy, your spirit body is much weaker in the physical world than it is in Otherworld. After all, it is only a solid version of your soul. The energy you used hardened it into a true body, but it was limited. That was why your Super Saiyan 3 drained your time so fast."

"What are you saying?" Goku asked.

"I'm saying that if you go there now, you'll be hardly at the level your friend Vegeta was at, even if you went all the way to your full power" Elder Kai said bluntly. "A spiritual body has trouble holding together in the physical world. You would be weak, and should Buu strike a fatal blow, our last chance would vanish from existence, as you would be no more."

"Can't you help somehow then?!" Goku cried, desperate. "Grant me more of that spirit energy, or a solid body to go in?"

"Do you really think that if we could just grant you life, that we wouldn't have done it by now?" Elder Kai huffed. "If you could, you, Vegeta, and the rest of your friends that just got sent to this realm would be back out there fighting right now. Face it, on your own, going down there, you'd be kapoot."

"Hrrgh…" Goku growled looking down.

"Hoooowever" Elder Kai continued. "I may have just the thing to grant you and Gohan the necessary power to defeat Buu."

"What? Really?" Goku gasped.

"Mmm hm!" he nodded, reaching up and pulling his earrings off. "This is how we did things in my day!"

* * *

The old geezer had been right. Even at Super Saiyan 3, his power felt shrunken. Why did he have to overshoot? He had been fighting for his life, no, his existence, because he missed when he threw the Potara to his sun.

When it seemed that he managed to catch a lucky break, when the boy's Fusion expired within Buu. His power shrunk to a level much closer to what he had been before the absorptions. But when he managed to absorb his son, it was all over.

Here he was. Tien was down for the count. Dende was ruled out because the Dragon Balls were needed to bring everyone back to life. And Hercule? Maybe he'd gain enough power to last half a second longer.

Maybe if he could trick Buu into wearing it, maybe in the new warrior, his influence would be strong enough to limit Buu's destruction.

" _No, that wouldn't work"_ he thought. " _Buu doesn't even have ears!"_

"Ninnnneeeee!" Buu said drawingly.

Tensing up, Goku prepared himself. Maybe, he could get lucky? His body didn't really exist right now. It might cost his very existence, but if he poured his full power into a Super Kamehameha at Super Saiyan 3 while using the Kaioken technique? The strain on his body would be near instantly fatal, but maybe with power would be enough to destroy Buu?

And just when it seemed that the last bit of hope was about to leave, far away, he felt a miracle happen. "Wait, could that be…" he asked hopefully.

"TEN!" Buu screamed, diving at Goku.

"Yeah, YEAH!" Goku cheered, putting his fingers to his forehead and vanishing into thin air.

* * *

"Don't you understand, Vegeta? If we don't do this, we'll be gone from existence! Buu will get away with everything he's done, which includes absorbing your son and murdering you and your wife!" Goku nearly screamed at his rival. "You plead pride, but that's the pride of a dead race, Vegeta! This is our home, this is our race, and if we don't do that, we lose them too! Are you really going to let that happen?!"

"KAKAROT, SHUT UP AND HAND ME THE DAMN EARRING!" Vegeta bellowed.

Goku's eyes widened. He hadn't expected it to be that easy. "Awesome, Vegeta!" he said, tossing the Potara to the other Saiyan. "Just remember, once we fuse, we're joined forever."

"WHAT?!" Vegeta exclaimed. "Fool, you could have mentioned that soon!"

"Hey, it's either joined forever or out of existence forever" Goku muttered, before an unknown force picked him up and pulled him through the air, towards Vegeta, who was flying towards him in like fashion.

Buu watched this event in amusement. "So, they've finally decided to do something?"

The bright light that had flashed into existence when the two had collided had faded, and in the two's place, stood a single fighter. Navy gi, orange undershirt, and spiky black hair. The gold earrings swung from his ears, as he looked up into the sky, his look one of pure confidence.

"So what do you call a Vegeta and a Kakarot fused together?" the new warrior asked. "Vegito sounds alright!"

Floating into the air, Vegito smirked as he stood across from Buu, glowing halo hanging above his head.

* * *

Even made of two dead warriors, Vegito's new body was powerful enough that Buu was no match. He didn't even have to become an ascended Saiyan to trounce the monstrosity. And then, the slimy piece of bubblegum did the one thing he had been waiting for. He absorbed him.

He protected himself as he was taken into Buu's body, and even once he was forced to split, Buu's magical body interfering with the bond of the Potara, they were safely inside, and went to find their friends.

Somehow, Buu found out there were alive, and nearly killed them in response. They managed to barely get away, their friends and the good Buu in tow. Escaping the Majin's body had been the tough part, but nothing could prepare them for what came next.

The Earth was gone. Theirs sons were gone. The only remnants of the planet Earth were space debris, the two Saiyans, Hercule, Bee, and Dende. And what's worse, the newly reformed Kid Buu had started systematically flitting across the galaxy, annihilating planet after planet. He even found his way to Otherworld, where he threatened the entire planet of heroes.

As a last ditch effort, Goku and Vegeta managed to draw his attention by powering up to their very limits, and summoned him to the world of the Kais, the place of their final battle. Now back in Otherworld, with a brief refresher from Dende, Goku and Vegeta were now able to fight at the full limits of their power. However, even that wasn't enough. Buu's unrestrained evil was too powerful and unpredictable for even the fully powered Goku to handle.

However, while Kid Buu was distracted by the good Buu, Vegeta came up with a plan. Sending Dende and the others to Namek, he put it in motion.

"You're going to use a Spirit Bomb."

Using the power of Porunga, the Earth and its people were finally restored. Even Vegeta lost his halo, while Goku kept his own. And they would be the ones supplying power to the attack, enough to obliterate Kid Buu.

At least, that was the plan. Only the Z-Fighters gave their power when Vegeta requested it, and while the attack had already formed itself much larger than any normal attack they would conjure, it still had a long way to go before it was strong enough.

Goku tried, and those who managed to recognize the voice of the kind Saiyan pitched in, but the vast majority of the Earthlings continued to ignore their pleas.

And then, Hercule, in a bout of rage at hearing the carelessness of his people, shouted in anger, finally getting the attention of the people of earth. Hearing the voice of the 'man who defeated Cell,' almost unanimously, the entire population raised their hands to the sky, and the Spirit Bomb ballooned to the size of a mountain, and it was ready to fire.

The gargantuan attack fell upon the Majin, forcing him back. His evil might was so great, he took control of the attack, and began to push it back at Goku. Even if the attack couldn't hurt the Saiyan, if it failed to destroy Buu, all hope was lost. Permanently. And Vegeta, in a final stroke of brilliance, had Dende use Porunga to restore Goku's energy to the brim. Using his power, the Super Saiyan flared to life, and with a final forceful push, the mountainous attack completely obliterated the Majin.

The planet was unrecognizable. Several planets still floated through space as debris, and the universe was now several-dozen-billion beings less now than it had been. But the senseless destruction had been quelled.

The good version of Buu had managed to survive, barely. Vegeta was for using his restored body and power to destroy the last Majin in the universe, but from Hercule's pleas, Goku vetoed the destruction, and Buu was spared.

Elder Kai had decided that, this one time, Goku would be allowed to return to Earth a little longer. The dead should not walk among the living, but this time, Goku had earned it. Fingers raised to his forehead, Goku, Vegeta, Dende, Hercule, Buu, and Bee vanished from the World of the Kais.

* * *

 **The Lookout**

* * *

Gohan, Piccolo, and the boys had just landed atop the lookout, where all but Piccolo were immediately smothered by their mothers. For half Saiyans, they were surprisingly frail when it came to their ultimate attacks, squeezing the life out of you.

"So, Gohan, hardly recognized ya'" Krillin laughed as he walked over to his old friend, once he had freed himself from his mother. "Geez, your power is through the roof. What exactly did you do?"

"A Kai did this for me" Gohan chuckled sheepishly. "So I'd be strong enough to beat Buu. It didn't quite work in the end, but hey, when have things ever been that easy for us?"

"Frieza having power to spare when Goku first transformed, Cell coming back when you ascended, yeah, seems to follow the pattern" Krillin laughed.

"You said it" Gohan agreed. "Well I-" he stopped short. "Huh?"

Suddenly, five new powers popped into existence on the Lookout, catching his attention. "Wait, is that…"

"Daddy!"

"Dad!"

"Dende."

"Oh… Why is he here?"

"WHOA, WHY IS HE HERE?!"

Majin Buu was certainly the center of attention. Gohan dropped into a fighting stance, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. The Majin would no longer hurt his friends as long as he was still breathing. But before he could make a move, Goku swung in front of him.

"Whoa, guys, take it easy" he said, waving his arms rapidly.

Trunks, who had also been ready to throw himself at Buu, was being restrained by his father. "Take it easy, son, it would appear that he is our 'guest' for now."

Hercule, who had bravely stood between Buu and the Z-fighters, let out a breath as he realized that they wouldn't be attacking his friend. He looked around. "It… It's all back?" he asked.

Goku nodded. "Sure is" he said. "The Earth and everyone on it is back, just like before."

"But, how is that possible? I thought that bad Buu killed everyone, then the worse Buu blew it up" Hercule asked. He was sick of pretending this was a bad dream. Maybe the public didn't need to know yet, but he had just been thrown between planets and witnessed a planet nuke made out of people waving their hands in the air like they just didn't care.

"Dragon Balls" Goku said cheerfully. "Our friends went to another planet that had them, and made the wishes to restore the Earth."

Hercule's eyes widened. "What?! You can just wish for stuff like that?!"

"If you have the time to go around the planet and find 7 small glass balls that could be anywhere, yeah" Goku shrugged.

Hercule looked back at Goku. "And _everyone_ is back?" he asked hopefully.

"Everyone not completely evil that has died since the morning of the tournament, yeah" Goku said, remembering how Vegeta had phrased the wish.

"THEN I GOTTA GET HOME!" Hercule shouted running towards the edge of the Lookout.

"Uh, wait just a second, Champ-" Goku tried to say, to a pair of deaf ears. Hercule was too focused to realize he was on a small platform several miles in the sky, and didn't notice the edge until he was already over it. He tried to flap his arms in an attempt to make his way back onto the edge, but physics don't work that way outside of cartoons.

Hearing Hercule as he fell, Gohan turned around, and with lightning speed, dashed over the edge and caught the falling afroed man before he could fall very far. Sighing, he levitated back up to the Lookout and set him down on the edge. "You may want to get someone's help with getting back down there" he warned. "It's a several day climb down."

"T-thanks for the warning" he said shakily.

"Trying to take the easy way out, I see?" Vegeta laughed loudly. "Come on, even you can't be that stupid."

Hercule looked at his feet in shame and let out a sigh. Vegeta walked over. "You know, I'm not sure you completely thought bringing your little friend home through."

"Wha? What do you mean?" Hercule asked.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Think, you ignoramus!" he shouted. "You might know what's going on here, but that doesn't mean that the rest of the population does. How are you going to keep the entire planet from freaking out when Buu comes back down there? I doubt they'd listen to you when they're in the middle of trying to destroy the biggest threat to the Earth again."

"Vegeta, I already thought all that through" Goku said, walking over.

Vegeta raised his eyebrows. "Oh, this ought to be good" he said sarcastically.

"It's simple, really" Goku said. "Hercule can keep Buu at his place for the next 6 months until the Dragon Balls recharge, and then use our wish on them to get rid of the memories of Buu from the earthlings. The six months can be kind of a test to see if Buu can behave himself, then if he can, we do that so he's free to go around."

"Please, that plan is-" Vegeta stopped short, blinking, before looking back at Goku. "...Actually not terrible. That is, for any plan that keeps that pink blob on our world."

Hercule stood up, and dusted off his gi. "Well, I'm sure Buu can hack it! After all, I made him what he is now!"

"Really? You made him the entity that murdered several planets before he got under control?" Vegeta asked.

Goku scratched his head. "Technically, Super Buu and Kid Buu were different than this Buu, since this Buu was inside them the entire-"

"Oh, shut your trap with the semantics!" Vegeta snarled.

"Well, this has been fun and all" Hercule said, backing up slowly. "But I really need to get home. Especially with Buu with me, there's something I need to take care of."

"Oh, alright" Goku said, turning away from Vegeta. "You need any help getting back down there?"

"Only if Buu doesn't want to fly me down" Hercule said. "It's fine, really. Besides, I'm sure you guys want your rest after this whole thing. What, between the bubble gum and mountain sized bombs, you must be tired. Plus, uh, there's the, um…" he trailed off, pointing above Goku's head.

"Hm?" Goku grunted, looking up. "Oh, right, I'm still dead."

"Aaaanyways, I'm gonna get going now" he said. "Hey, Buu! You ready?"

Buu looked up from the others. "Oh, yes, Buu ready! Buu come now!"

After Buu had flown off, Hercule on his back, the two Saiyans and half-Saiyan returned to the others. The Lookout had become almost a party of sorts, a party for the defeat of the evil Kid Buu.

Gohan chatted with Dende a lot, catching up for the first time in ages. Goku and ChiChi had also gone somewhere else on the Lookout a while back. The others all talked with each other, some of them slowly leaving as dusk fell. Krillin and his family took Roshi and went back to Kame House a while back, while Tien had snuck away some time ago. Vegeta must have left almost immediately after Hercule did, because he hadn't been seen all night, not even when Bulma and Trunks boarded a jet home. The sky was a deep purple, all light almost completely gone, when ChiChi came over and told them to come with her.

Confused, Gohan followed his mom towards the back of the Lookout, where a small part of the family gathered around Goku.

"-to go back pretty quick here, I don't want to be in trouble with Elder Kai, after letting me stay this long."

"What?" Gohan asked. "You have to go back already?"

Goku looked over and saw his eldest son looking shocked, and he gave a sad smile. "Yeah, old guy was nice enough to let me stay this long. I don't need to be getting in trouble with a Kai, especially a Supreme Kai. King Kai still hasn't let me live down the whole Cell incident."

As much fun as the gang had been having that night, the mood immediately seemed to sour as the news of Goku's imminent departure came to light.

"It just doesn't seem fair, that you have to leave after all we've been through that you have to leave again" ChiChi said, sounding small.

"Yeah, please don't leave again, Daddy, I just got to know you!" Goten cried, clinging to his father's leg.

Gohan almost didn't have the heart to, but he leaned down and grabbed onto his brother and gently pulled him off of his father. "Come on, squirt" he said. "We can't change this, he has to leave again."

Goten appeared to be on the verge of tears. "But… I don't want him to go…" he sniffed.

"Hey hey, don't be sad, Goten" Goku said soothingly, looking between the three of them. "You know, I think that it's time that my vacation in Otherworld comes to an end."

"Vacation?" ChiChi asked. "Death is a vacation?"

"Wait, Mom, that's not the point" Gohan said, looking at his father. "What are you saying exactly?"

Goku scratched the back of his head. "When I left, it was because several threats had threatened the Earth because of me. Frieza came for revenge, and Gero designed everything to kill me. But Buu was coming whether I was here or not. It might have taken another year, or longer, but Buu was here and coming. And if I had actually been there, well, maybe things wouldn't have gone so wrong before we managed to fix them."

"So, I was thinking, if they're willing to do it for me, in a few months, when Namek's Dragon Balls recharge, I can finally come back to stay, for good."

The last sentence was met with a shocked silence. "Does… Does that mean… That-?"

Goku nodded. "If all goes well, in a few months, I'm coming back to life, and planning on staying that way this time-WHOA!"

The Saiyan was caught off guard when his wife lunged forward and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, sobbing into his shoulder. Blinking, he held her comfortingly. "Hey, it's okay, Chi. I mean, this should be a good thing, right?"

Still in his shoulder, ChiChi nodded her head. When she didn't stop her death grip, Goku rubbed the back of his head in confusion. "Geez, ChiChi, did you cry this much when I died?"

It took a long time to get her to calm down, by which point Goku was almost sweating bullets because of how long he had stayed. "Listen, guys, I'd better go now. I don't need to be punished by not being allowed to come back to life, you know?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, I know, Dad" he said.

Smiling, Goku stepped forward and enveloped his oldest in a firm hug, one which he immediately returned. They were saying goodbye, but it wasn't for good this time. Namek's Dragon Balls only took about 130 days to recharge, which means his father could be back with them just before the memories of Buu are erased, depending on how fast the Namekians find them.

"I'm proud of you, son" Goku said as he released Gohan. "You fought great out there. Heh, I guess you really are the strongest in the universe again now, huh? I mean, I'm not half that strong at Super Saiyan 3, yet."

Gohan blushed at his father's praise. "Thank you, dad. Don't worry, I'll make sure Earth stays safe, while you're gone and even after you're back."

Goku smiled. "Great job" he said, patting his son on the shoulder before kneeling down to hug his other son. Goten was trying his best not to cry. He didn't want his dad to go at all. Goku pulled him close. "You know, no matter what Vegeta or the others think, crying isn't a sign of weakness. It can actually make us stronger."

And so, the tiny demi-Saiyan let it all out, just like his mother had. Goku wished that he could stay long enough to fully comfort his son, but his time was out. Pulling back, he looked at his family one last time. "ChiChi, don't forget what we talked about, ok?"

ChiChi nodded. "I know, Goku. I won't."

Seeming satisfied, Goku nodded. "I'll you guys soon. I love you" he said, raising his fingers to his forehead.

"Bye Dad/Daddy/Goku!" the three of them waved, just as Goku vanished into thin air, all trace of him vanishing.

They felt extremely sad that Goku had left again, but at the same time, they were hopeful, happy, that soon, he'd be back with them for good.

Gohan looked at his mother. "Hey Mom, what did Dad mean when he said to not forget what you guys talked about?"

ChiChi smiled sadly at her son. "Oh, I'll tell you about that later. But for now, I think that we need to go home."

"Oh, alright" Gohan said, kneeling down and letting his mother climb on his back, piggyback style. He looked back at her, then down at Goten. "If you two want to hold onto me real tight, I can get us home really fast" he said.

"But I can fly myself, Gohan" Goten said, pouting a little.

"Yeah, but I'm a lot faster now" Gohan said, smiling.

"I'd rather you didn't break the light barrier just to get home" ChiChi said. "Come on, it's a nice night, and it usually only takes you a few minutes to get from here to there, right?"

"Yeah, I was just opting for a speed test" Gohan shrugged. "It's ok. Let's head home."

Shouting his goodbyes to the few that were still on the Lookout, then jumped over the edge, auras flaring as they dived through the clouds, back over the, finally peaceful, planet below.

* * *

 **Satan Manor**

* * *

"Now, be careful, Buu. You see, people still think that you're a bad guy, because they didn't see what you did, and they would be too scared to listen, ok?"

"So Buu no see anyone so no make scared?" Buu asked, trying to wrap his pliable head around it.

"That's right" Hercule said. "But, those people said that they would help us. Just be good for six months, and you'll be allowed to do whatever you want… As long as it isn't bad."

"Ok!" Buu said cheerily. "That easy. Buu do."

Hercule had Buu set them down just outside the back door to his mansion. He tried to explain the situation to Buu so that he knew what it was like. Personally, he didn't understand much of it himself. He still had no idea how you could just 'wish' memories away. Maybe mass hypnosis?

Hercule twiddled his thumbs nervously. "So… You're going to be staying with me. Which, uh, means that there's something we have to do first."

"Oh? What Hercule need Buu to do?" Buu asked.

"Simple, really. Just hide around the corner of the house. Then, when I call you, come over and be friendly, ok?" Hercule requested.

"Ok!" Buu said, turning around and waddling behind the corner of the house, leaving Hercule and Bee behind.

Hercule took a deep breath, and used his gi to mop up the severe amount of sweat on his forehead. "I sure hope this works, Bee" he muttered. There was one person that would have to know about Buu, he just hoped that she would be okay with it once he explained it. "Come on, boy, let's go get her.

Walking up the steps, Hercule slowly opened the back door and stepped inside his house. Looking around, satisfied that no one was around, he walked deeper inside, Bee sitting down by the door.

Once he made his way into the main hall, he took a deep breath. "Oh Videl!" he called. "Pumpkin?! Are you here?!"

"Dad?!" a sharp, feminine voice rang out from higher in the house. There was a flurry of hurried footsteps, and then a small girl with jet-black hair came into view at the top of the stairs. Looking down, her blue eyes widened as she flew down the stairs four at a time, and ran up to her dad. "Dad, you're here!" she exclaimed.

"Well of course I am! I'm the World Champ, after all! Nothing can keep me down!" Hercule laughed loudly as he hugged his daughter.

Videl smiled. "It's really strange, but that entire time, well, I can barely remember any of it until you said that you needed us."

Hercule gulped. He remembered that that boy, the delivery boy, said something about Buu having killed everyone on the planet with an attack.

"Do you know what that was all about?" Videl asked.

"OH!" Hercule shouted. "Yeah, I do! That Buu, he wasn't just a monster, he was an alien. So he had some powers, like spraying knockout gas out of his body! He sprayed enough to knock out the entire planet, but luckily, I had came prepared for his underhanded tactics, and had a gas mask that protected me while I beat him down!"

Videl frowned. "But what about those two with you that said the planet had been destroyed, and it just came back?"

Hercule began sweating as his brain worked overtime. "Well, uh, you see, right then, I couldn't talk to all of you. I was too busy distracting Buu, and they thought that people wouldn't listen to them if they just told you to start cheering. So they lied for a good cause, to try and motivate everyone. Buu was strong, and I couldn't defeat him right away. Those two managed to distract Buu long enough for me to get over to the mic, and that's when the rest happened. It was because of everyone's cheering giving me the motivation I needed to deliver the final blow! HA HA HA HA!"

He posed as he finished the story, secretly freaking out. " _Please be believable, please be believable!"_

Videl smiled. "Wow, Dad, you really are the strongest." Then she frowned. "Which means we probably won't even be able to sleep without the press filming us for a long time to come…"

"Oh, the press can wait, pumpkin" Hercule said. "But, ah, for now, there's something I need to show you. Just, please, don't freak out, and just listen to me?"

Videl's frown deepened. "What is it, Dad?" she asked uncertainly.

"Come out back with me" he said, waving her towards the back door. Bee still sat right near the door, tail wagging as Hercule and Videl got closer.

"You got a dog?" Videl asked. "That's what you needed to talk about?"

"Uh, well, no, not really, Bee's only a part of it" Hercule said.

"'Bee?'" Videl laughed. "Who names a dog 'Bee?' That's like naming a starfish 'Butterfly.'"

"Well, I wasn't the one who named this little guy" Hercule explained as he and Videl stepped out back. Placing a hand on Videl's shoulder, he turned his daughter towards him. "Now, just stay calm, ok? Look at me for now, don't turn around" he warned, before looking up. "Ok, come on out now!"

"Ok!" a high-pitched childish voice rang out.

Heavy footsteps began to move across the ground, as an absentminded humming began to sound closer and closer to them. It stopped just a few feet behind her. "What you want me to do, Hercule?"

"Just introduce yourself" he said, steeling himself. "This is my daughter, Videl. Videl… uh… just stay calm when you turn around."

Not liking the sound of her father's voice, Videl turned around very slowly, looking at the ground. He sounded nervous, he, the world champ. When she turned around, the first thing she noticed were baggy white pants and yellow boots. Her heartbeat quickened drastically as she looked up, and saw the pudgy pink face of Majin Buu.

"Hi Miss Videl, me Buu!" Buu said.

Following their meeting, Hercule planned to schedule a visit to his doctor to see about replacing his eardrums. The scream that followed made sure that he'd be needing new ones.

* * *

 **Mount Paozu - 2 Days Later**

* * *

Gohan flew out of the sky and landed just outside of the door to their house. He had just spent the day flying around the world, seeing some new places for the first time. Everything seemed to be in perfect shape, not that he doubted the powers of Porunga. But restoring an entire planet and its populace would be a strenuous task for anyone, no matter how much power you had.

He was surprised that he was even allowed to leave today. Even since Goku left again, ChiChi had been a bit softer towards him and Goten. He was still expected to study, but it was no longer the sole activity he went through in life. After a couple hours that morning, ChiChi had told him he could go spend the rest of the day outside. After visiting with Icarus for a bit (who had grown so much in the ten years he had known him, he almost looked as big as Shenron himself, comparatively, although he was still the same dog-like dragon he had always been), he had gone on his flight. The sun was just barely beginning to sink low in the sky as he opened the door and strode in. "Mom, I'm back!" he announced.

No longer in his father's gi, Gohan simply wore his old navy one. He loved how his father's looked, but it was much more comfortable in his own.

"Oh, Gohan, I've been waiting for you" ChiChi said as she walked out of the kitchen. "I wanted to talk with you for a bit before we have dinner."

"Um, ok?" Gohan asked, confused. " _Did she want me to stay here when she said I could go outside? Man, I shouldn't have taken that trip around the planet!"_

"Don't worry, Gohan, it's nothing bad" ChiChi said, noticing his confused look. "Come, sit down."

" _This sounds just like those movies"_ Gohan thought with a twinge of panic. " _She might be weaker than me, but if she has her frying pan, I'm a goner!"_

Sitting on the couch, he looked up at his mother, who looked down at him. The look in her eyes, it wasn't anger. Whatever it was, he couldn't place.

"Now, you asked me what Goku had talked to me about right before he left, right?" ChiChi asked, to which Gohan nodded. "Well, it turns out, Goku was just a little concerned with you. Or, more so, how you've been raised by me."

"What?" Gohan asked.

ChiChi waved him down. "He wasn't saying I was a bad parent, but he pointed something out to me, that I agree with. In all my efforts to make sure that you have a good life, through all of your studies, I haven't let you be a real kid yet. I've isolated you, your only friends being at least your father's age, or your family, besides a few. That girl from the village west of here is nice, but she doesn't come around that often."

"You mean Lime?" Gohan asked.

ChiChi nodded. "Besides her, the only friend you have your age is a dragon. And while Icarus is sweet, he's more of a pet than anything."

"What are you getting at, Mom?" Gohan asked, a sense of foreboding taking root.

"I haven't let you be a kid, to have fun and make friends you age" ChiChi said. "So, since you're so far ahead, I decided to sign you up for something that will let you make some friends your own age."

"Signed me up?" Gohan asked. "For what?"

"High School" ChiChi smiled.

Gohan blinked, paled, and lost balance, all in the same moment. " _What?!_ " he asked. "Mom, I can't go to high school! I'm about to turn seventeen, that's _way_ too late!"

"I already filled out the paperwork" ChiChi waved her hand. "You can attend for your senior year. You're so far ahead that you'll barely have to work. You'll have a diploma to help you get into college easier, and you'll be able to make some friends while you're at it."

"But how am I supposed to blend in with all the other kids?" Gohan asked. "Unlike them, I'm half alien!"

"Gohan, you're smart enough to know how to conceal your power and act human" ChiChi sighed. "Listen, I know it sounds bad, but it'll be alright. The year started about a month and a half ago. There's an entrance exam for you to take before joining, and it starts back up on Monday, the day after tomorrow."

"But-" Gohan tried again.

"No buts" ChiChi said sternly. "For this year, the only studying you'll be doing is related to projects at your school. I'm giving you a year off to socialize. I figured you'd be jumping at the chance."

Gohan knew he stood no chance at winning the argument. " _Some 'most powerful being in the universe' I am"_ he thought. " _I can't even win against my full-blooded human mom!"_

"Now, come along, Gohan, let's have some dinner. You can take the test online tonight, and then you'll be ready for Monday" ChiChi said.

Gohan groaned and stood up. "I'll just go take the test right now" he said. "I'm not that hungry right now."

"!" ChiChi's eyes widened in shock. "Are you sick?! Do you need to visit a doctor?!"

"No, Mom!" Gohan waved his arms. "Just… Give me some time to wrap my head around this, ok?" Without waiting for a response, he turned around and walked down the hall to his room, rubbing his head as he went.

ChiChi frowned as she watched him walk away. " _Maybe that was too big of a surprise to drop on him all at once"_ she thought. " _I'm only thinking about what's best for him. Goku's right, I've kept him from having a real childhood. This is all I can do to make up for that. If he doesn't go, he'll become a social outcast."_

"Gohan, please, just think about it" she said, just loud enough for him to hear, before she wandered off to retrieve Goten.

In his room, Gohan sighed, and banged his head on the desk, punching a head-shaped hole in the surface. Grimacing, he reached over and grabbed the bottle of superglue he kept by him for this stuff, and placed the piece back, using a minor ball of energy to dry it immediately.

The test was up on his computer. He noticed a form for Orange Star High School on his desk, and assumed that was the place that his mother was sending him. It wasn't far away, only a few hundred miles.

" _Would it really be that bad?"_ Gohan asked himself. " _I mean, school itself would be easy enough, but I don't know a thing about kids my age. Lime is about as sheltered as me, Goten and Trunks, well, they aren't like most kids either. Heck, no one I know knows anything about being a normal kid. Not even my mom, she was a princess. I don't think normal kids are royalty."_

Sighing again, he leaned back and looked up. " _I guess that she has always thought about what was best for me. Who knows? It might be nice to have some friends that aren't three times my age, or know me as half Saiyan, or are human."_ He'd had a conversation with Hercule while they flew to find Dende earlier.

* * *

 _Hercule looked up at Gohan. "So, uh, hey, Delivery Boy? I, uh, I want to know. Did you ever, um, hold it against me?"_

" _Hold it against you?" Gohan asked. "What, Cell?"_

 _Hercule gulped. "Yeah. I know, I wasn't the one that defeated Cell, but, they needed a story, and, well, I didn't know if you were even still alive."_

 _Gohan smiled. "Nice to hear that you cared" he chuckled. Looking forward, he continued. "Nah, I never really held it against you. After all, md and my family, my friends, we like a private life. We were fine letting you take it." He glanced down. "Of course, bad-mouthing us as much as you do almost got my friend Vegeta to fly over and blast you on several occasions, but we managed to knock him out before he could do anything."_

 _He laughed as Hercule grew white as a sheet. Knowing that you've been in mortal peril several times without even realizing it has a tendency to cause a panic._

* * *

If he wanted to keep them private, he wouldn't be able to do anything out of the ordinary by human standards. But where did the ordinary fall? Most people couldn't fly or blast, sure. But he didn't know their normal physical capabilities. And considering how powerful he was now, it might be difficult masking himself as one of them.

" _I'll find a way around it"_ he thought. " _Mom's right, I need to get out there and make some friends. It's nice out here, but it's a bit lonely. Who knows, maybe high school could be… Fun?"_

Steeling his resolve, Gohan glanced at the screen in front of him, moved the mouse, and clicked "Start Test."

* * *

 **This was the prologue. I said in the beginning, this would kind of an AU, which I changed several things. The main one being Gohan not going to high school until Buu's defeat, leaving Videl's involvement out. But there were some other things. For example, Goku being dead for now. I decided against the classic Old Kai Life Transfer. I know he could have done it, but that's the point of an AU. Things are different. Besides that, a lot of this chapter was rehashing the Buu Saga, sorry about that, just wanted to kind of get all the changes out of the way. And just some insignificant details, like Vegito having a halo since both Goku and Vegeta were dead this time.**

 **The whole spirit body deal is just a bit of headcanon I have. Pay it no heed outside of here.**

 **No one will recognize Gohan. No one saw him transform back at the ring, and no one had seen him since. His name barely got mentioned at the tournament where anyone could hear.**

 **Yes, Goku will be back in later chapters. I'm just delaying his involvement by a bit. Hercule's a believer now, but he's still the same guy. He's trying to keep the world from panicking from the discovery of energy, which of course, leads to a bit of lying, especially about Buu.**

 **So Hercule knows Gohan, just not by name. Gohan has his Ultimate power, starting in high school. And everything… Waits until chapter 2. Hah, had you going there.**

 **Sorry, that came out rude. Anyways, so this is the beginning of my new story. Just a prologue, but I hope it was entertaining nonetheless. It came out a lot longer than I expected. I tried some humor, even though it's not usually my strong suit. Please, tell me if the concept is interesting. I'll be doing my best to develop things as we go along. Some reviews, especially on the first chapter, always tell me where to go. It's nerve-wracking enough as it is, posting chapter one of a new story.**

 **I hope you enjoyed it. With college in the way, all I can say is that I hope to have another chapter up within the next week, but no promises.**

 **Please, drop a review, this being my first chapter and all, and I hope you all have a good day. Cya!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm gonna try to get this one out as soon as possible. I've got that 'hot off the press fever' that makes me want to update this story excessively frequently right now, but don't get too used to it. I can only neglect my other stories for so long before I have to get back to them. But, in the meantime, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1 - Starting Anew**

* * *

" _Goooooooohaaaaaaaaaan!"_

The voice reverberated through his mind, causing him to frown. It made him feel disturbed, for some odd reason that he couldn't put his finger on.

Suddenly, he sensed something. He couldn't see anything, but his body reacted reflexively, twisting and catching something.

" _Ah! Gohan, let me goooo!"_

Gohan's eyes cracked open, and he realized what had been going on. The object in his hands? The hairy head of his little brother Goten. Blinking, he released his hold, letting him fall to the floor, massaging his head.

"Man, Gohan, you really have a strong grip" Goten whined. "I was just trying to wake you up for school like Mom asked."

" _School?"_ Gohan wondered. " _Oh, wait, today's Monday. My first class is today."_

"Sorry about that, squirt" Gohan apologized. He knew that Elder Kai had basically put his body in the peak condition it could be in, but he never expected that he would catch the furry bullet that was his brother in his sleep. "I guess my reflexes are better than I thought." Now that the battle against Buu was over, he wondered just how different everything would be with all the power Elder Kai gave him.

No, Elder Kai didn't give him anything. He said it himself. The power was _all_ Gohan's. It was like was Grand Elder Guru had done for him, but on a much larger scale. He couldn't believe all that he had had inside of him. It was mind-boggling.

Once Goten left the room, Gohan stood up and stretched his arms above his head, dispelling the last of his grogginess. "Something tells me that the hardest part about going to school is gonna be how early I have to get up" he muttered.

He didn't know how well he had done on the entrance exam for the school, although he was confident enough about it. He had received a message telling him to report to the principle's office on his first morning. He hoped that was a good sign.

A look at his wall told him that the time was just a little after seven-thirty. And to his knowledge, his classes started at a quarter 'till. "I don't have to rush" he shrugged, walking over to his closet and reaching inside.

Five minutes later, he emerged from his room, having picked out his outfit. Wearing red slacks and a baggy white shirt beneath a black vest, he walked into the kitchen, where his mom was just serving breakfast. Looking up at Gohan, she smiled. "Come on, Gohan, you'd better eat fast if you don't want to be late."

"Hey, it's fine, Mom" Gohan dismissed. "I can reach Satan City in two minutes if I take it easy. If I was really late, you know I could make that trip in just a few seconds."

"Yes, but you should never wait until the last moment to show up" ChiChi said sternly. "It's bad form, and if something happens, then you really don't want to be late!"

Gohan nodded as he got done swallowing his mouthful. "Yeah, alright, Mom" he said. Class started in about nine minutes. Running to the door, he grabbed his bag on the way, before waving to his mom and Goten. "I'll head out right now, then! See you guys later!"

"Byeeeee Gohan!" Goten waved back.

"Have a good day, son!" ChiChi said as he shut the door.

Now out in the open field, Gohan looked at the sky. The day was slightly overcast, light gray clouds lightly streaking the sky, while the sun barely rose over the distant mountains, everything being covered in a dim hue.

In an instant, Gohan was powered up to the level of a Super Saiyan, effortlessly, and without changing a bit. " _Man"_ he thought. His new power would take some getting used to, but being able to be at this level without transforming was a _definite_ perk. He never really liked how angry he felt when he became a Super Saiyan. Especially when he ascended. Having the power without it was an amazing and free feeling.

Taking off, making sure to keep his speed down until he cleared the house, lest he shatter the windows with a sonic boom, he flew off in the direction of the city where he would be attending school.

It didn't take long. He wasn't exaggerating when he said that the trip could be done in mere seconds. He must have been going faster than he realized, though, because he wasn't trying to go fast, yet ended up showing up before he realized it.

" _Whoops, I'd better get a handle on that"_ he grimaced. " _So much for not trying. I'll have to_ try _and suppress my speed."_

Deciding that it wouldn't make a very calm first impression if he dropped out of the sky at his school, Gohan looked around for a deserted place where he could land. Even if school was about to start, the streets were still pretty deserted, and it wasn't hard to find a small alley he could drop into, before jogging out.

" _Have I ever even been in a city before?"_ he wondered. " _Besides when I would visit with Bulma, and when Dad was in the hospital after Vegeta, I don't think so."_ Everything seemed so alien to him, oddly enough, considering Namek had seemed more familiar than this place. Small towns and villages didn't compare.

Occasionally, cars would drive down the road past him, kids around his age driving them or at least riding inside. He took it as a sign he was going the right way, at least.

A sudden thunderous sound caught his attention, his neck jerking sharply to the side towards it. "What in the world is that?" he asked. After a moment, he noticed that the sound, while lighter, was constantly repeating itself. Ok, now he recognized the sound. Gunfire.

Curiosity getting the best of him, he quickly darted into a nearby alley. Using his super speed, he navigated the maze of passageways towards the sound in the blink of an eye, before emerging under the cover of the building next to him, in front of a bank.

Several police vehicles were stationed out front, but they didn't appear to be functional, what with all the bullet holes piercing right through them. Several officers huddled behind their cars, taking shelter as a group of four men outside of the bank shot at them. The police were armed with pistols, while the men in front of them seemed to be carrying much heavier weaponry. Combining the fact that they were shooting at the police, standing in front of a bank, and wearing masks, it didn't take any amount of time for Gohan to realize what was going on.

" _You would think for a city named after the person they think is the strongest on the planet, that people would be much more afraid to do something like this"_ he thought. " _What kind of lowlife robs a bank, anyways?"_

If nothing happened, then sooner or later, one of those bullets would make it all the way through the cars, and it wouldn't be long until bloodshed followed. " _I have to step in there. I can't just let innocent people get hurt!"_ Gohan was never one to enjoy the fight, but he hated it when people got hurt because of them.

He then realized, normal humans probably couldn't move faster than gunfire. He didn't want anyone to pick him out at school, he needed something else. " _Maybe if I become a Super Saiyan? Yeah, then people wouldn't be able to recognize me!"_

Backing up slightly, Gohan closed his eyes, and harnessed his power. His energy surged, a gust flew out around him, and there was a heavy _thud_ as he launched a dumpster halfway down the alley.

Smirking, he opened his eyes, but that smirk faded as he realized there was no golden aura around him. He was still black haired, black eyed. "What?" he wondered. His power had increased, but he didn't change at all.

" _Perfect, my body's so natural with the power, it's almost as if I forgot how to transform!"_ he mentally facepalmed. " _Why would it need to, after all?"_

Maybe with some practice, he could go Super Saiyan again, but that wouldn't help him right now. Right now, he needed a way to take them out without being seen. " _Maybe a_ kiai _?"_ he wondered. A _kiai,_ an invisible force wave, could probably take them all out with a single blow with killing them. Just knock 'em into the wall and let gravity do the rest.

Moving his hand forward, he raised his palm and directed it at the robber operating the largest gun. He frowned, his aura became slightly visible…

And another cop car pulled up to the scene, directly between him and the robber. " _Are you KIDDING me?!"_ he nearly groaned in frustration. " _Fine, I guess I only have one option left."_

Standing up, he took a deep breath, and calmed his mind. Willing his body, he powered up. To what level, he wasn't sure, but it would be enough. Immediately, he vanished from the spot.

To everyone watching, it seemed some multicolored blur swept in, all the robbers collapsed, and the blur vanished, all in the space of a split second. To Gohan, things couldn't be slower. Making sure he moved at a speed where he couldn't be seen by the others, he dashed in, and with simple blows, took out all four of the robbers. A light jab to the side, a small chop on the back of the neck, like that, before he flew as high as he could into the air, making sure he was out of sight before dashing back into the alley.

Putting on his best innocent and confused face, he stepped out of the alley just as the police force got over their shock, and ran forward to cuff the criminals. Satisfied that no one was in danger anymore, he began to back away from the scene.

"Hey, you!" a sharp voice behind him spoke.

Flinching heavily, caught off guard, he turned around and saw a young girl behind him. She obviously wasn't in a good mood. She had circles under her eyes, and a glare on her face that he suggested even Vegeta would commend. "Me?" Gohan asked, confused.

"Yeah, you" she spoke again. "What just happened here?"

"Uh, I don't know" Gohan lied. "I heard the guns and hid in the alley until they stopped." Hi figured that sounded like how a normal human would react to gunfire if they weren't trying to stop it.

"I see" she said coolly, looking away from Gohan and walking around him, towards the scene of the crime.

Gohan let out a breath. " _Geez, it was like she was peering into my soul"_ he shuddered. " _Humans that didn't give birth to me shouldn't be able to do that."_

After standing there for a moment, something hit Gohan like a freight train. " _Crap, school!"_

Running as fast as he could without drawing attention to himself, Gohan sprinted in the direction of the Orange Star High School. " _I can't be late, I can't be late, I can't be late!"_ he repeated the mantra in his head.

* * *

Videl was having a terrible day. No, it didn't start that day. It started about a week ago, when that monster showed up on their world and began killing people. Her father left to go fight the monster, but never came back. For the next few days, she lived in fear that her city would be the next to go, and that if her father came back, he, the strongest on Earth, what chance did any of them have?

It was very stressful.

After he managed to defeat the monster, he had another bombshell to drop on her when he came back that night. Couldn't he have been a bit more delicate about it? He tried, but when you're dealing with introducing your daughter to the old terror of the planet who's about to become your roommate, you really need to invest 100% into the plan to break the news lightly.

Her dad had explained it. Buu had shown up, and he was terrorizing the planet. As an alien, he had some abilities that they didn't, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. But he saw the innocence in Buu, and instead of killing him, decided to try and befriend him, to see if he could get him to change. It turns out, all he needed was a friend to learn about how what he was doing was wrong. He had been about to save the world again without throwing a single punch, before it turned out that Buu had a twin brother, who was much more consciously malicious.

He and the Buu that had become good hid for a few days, training, and confronted the evil Buu, alongside two others that had managed to avoid Buu's gas attack as well. The alien was strong, and he wasn't sure he could win. But the cheering of the planet managed to give him the energy he needed to really lay into the bad Buu and finish him off.

However, even after the story, it didn't change the fact that the roommate she now had was a monster who had been terrorizing the planet only a couple days prior. It's not exactly easy to sleep with that kind of pressure.

Buu was actually not as bad as he seemed. He was sweet and childish, very innocent and ignorant. Still, it took more getting used too than just one day. So, it was another night of fitful sleep.

She had her doubts, that even with her dad's influence, the world could see past Buu long enough to hear him out. When she asked him about this, saying that Buu probably couldn't stay inside forever, and that someone was bound to find out, Hercule waved his hand and said that it was all taken care of.

So, she dropped it. Then, after going two days with no real rest but plenty of stress, she got called out early in the morning to deal with some armed robbers, only to find that she wasted her time, as when she arrived, they were already in the middle of processing them. On one hand, she was grateful that she didn't have to exert herself right then. On the other, she was furious that she had made the trip for nothing.

Stopping at a coffee place on her way there, she sipped on the hot drink, hoping that she could at least stay awake through the day. She just had a week off from school, between the tournament and the fiasco with Buu. It was her first day back, and even with how understanding her teachers could be, she didn't enjoy being late.

She walked through the doors of her class five minutes after class had started. Her teacher welcomed her, understandingly, before she went to sit in her seat, next to her friends, Erasa and Sharpner.

"What's the matter Videl, you look awful" Erasa said. Tactful.

"Oh, just stuff at home" she muttered, barely resisting the urge to slump forward on her desk and close her eyes.

"Really? What's going on there?"

"Uh…" Videl thought. She couldn't very well say she had an alien staying with them. "My dad brought a dog home, and it barks and whines all night" she said. That was half true. Bee had been living with them too, but he didn't make much noise.

"Oh well, first weeks are always the hardest with new pets" Erasa said. "Just buy some earplugs, that oughta do the trick!"

Videl nodded. "Yeah, I'll do that" she lied.

"May I have your attention please, students?" the teacher called from in front of the room, gathering the attention of the class. "Now, today, I would like you to welcome a new student to our class."

The door opened, and a young man with spiky black hair stepped inside. He looked around at all the students, seeming a bit surprised by the number of them.

"Would you like to introduce yourself?" the teacher asked.

"Oh, uh, sure" he said, turning to face the class. "Hello, my name is Son Gohan. This is my first time in a public school."

"Gohan received perfect marks on his entrance exam" the teacher told the class. "You could learn a thing or two from him."

"He sounds like a total geek" Sharpner muttered, just loud enough for Videl and Erasa to hear. "And who waits to go to school until senior year?"

"Oh, hush up, Sharpner" Erasa said.

Videl's eyes narrowed. This boy, Son Gohan, looked familiar. She couldn't pinpoint it, but she knew him from somewhere. He definitely had the build of a generic nerd, slouched slightly, matching uniform, and looking slightly nervous.

"Anyways, take a seat wherever you want" the teacher said, gesturing to the classroom.

"Ok" Gohan said, looking around for free seats.

"Hey, come sit up here, cutie!" Erasa called down, waving and pointing to the seat right beside her.

Videl groaned. She really wasn't in the mood for Erasa's antics right then, and inviting a new kid who she apparently thought was 'cute' fell under that category.

Gohan walked up the stairs, setting his stuff down and taking a seat right next to where Erasa was. "Hi, nice to meet you" he said, offering his hand.

"Why, hello, Gohan, my name's Erasa" Erase grinned, shaking his hand. "This here's Sharpner, and of course, you already know who this is."

Confused, Gohan glanced over past the two blondes. At first, he had no idea why he would know who she was. She wore a baggy white shirt and had long black hair. "Um, who are you?" he asked politely.

Immediately, there were gasps all around him, and Videl looked up from her spot on the desk. Her eyes were wide, her eyebrows raised. And when they locked eyes, she remembered exactly who she saw him.

"You're that guy from the bank this morning" she remembered.

When she said that, she could see him look slightly uneasy. She had been too cranky and in a hurry this morning to get a good look at him, but now she began mentally taking note about him. He was definitely an odd character. Never been to school before, but aced the entrance exam. She had never seen him around town before that morning, and she had met just about everyone in the city. If he was from out of town, or even downtown, there should have been other schools that would have been easier to attend. OSH was a good school, but it wasn't the Stanford of high schools.

The new kid, the kid from the bank, Gohan, looked visibly surprised when she said what she did, and he guessed that he hadn't remembered her yet either.

"You know him?" Sharpner asked.

Videl nodded. "Yeah, he was hiding near the bank when I got called over there this morning, before that 'Phantom' character took care of it."

Gohan knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "Phantom?" he asked.

"That's what the police chief is calling it, anyways" Videl shrugged. "According to him, something unbelievably fast swooped in and knocked out all the robbers this morning and disappeared as fast as he appeared."

Gohan frowned lightly. " _Shoot, I thought I moved fast enough that they couldn't even see me. I guess I held back a little too much."_

"Wait, Gohan, did you see what this guy looked like? You were hiding around there, didn't you?" Erasa asked the young saiyan.

"Um, well, no" Gohan said. "I was kinda not in view of the bank when it happened, just around the corner."

Videl also took note of his tone of voice. He sounded, off. There were undertones of nervousness, but they almost seemed false.

"So, _Gohan,_ where are you from, exactly?" Videl asked.

"Oh, I live up at Mount Paozu" Gohan said. "Really great place."

"Mount Paozu?" Erasa asked. "Where's that? I've never heard of that place before."

Truth be told, Videl hadn't heard about the place either. It must have been a long ways away, because that wasn't the name of any of the surrounding areas.

"Yeah, well, Mount Paozu is in the 439 mountain area, so that might explain why you might not have heard of it" Gohan explained.

Videl's eyes widened at the news. "Really?" she asked. "This 439 mountain area?"

Gohan looked back at her, unwavering. "Yeah, that's the one."

Videl shot a glare at him. "Even if you drove the fastest car on the market, that place is over three hours away, one trip."

"Yeah, well, that's how dedicated I am to my education" Gohan said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Angered by his smart response, Videl took a deep breath and turned away from the new kid. Taking another sip of her coffee, she tried to calm herself. She was sleep-deprived and stressed. The kid barely walked through the door and she was already grilling him. If she kept going, she'd be wanting his shoe size next.

So, instead of interrogating the person Erasa had called over, she turned back to the front of the room, where the teacher was talking.

"-not only defeated Cell, but delivered us from Majin Buu as well, now" the teacher said.

On second thought, maybe she'd be better ditching today. Groaning, she closed her eyes and slumped forward onto the desk, head banging dully. She didn't even feel it.

* * *

Gohan learned several new things that day. Not anything from the lessons, what hadn't been about Mr. Satan, he had learned sometime before he trained for the Saiyans.

The first thing he learned. The grueling curriculum that every student in the school complained about? Nothing compared to what he had gone to.

Second off, Videl had a very suspicious nature on a good day, which this was not. To tie into that, the four of them shared five out of six classes in the day, his only break being right before lunch, in english literature. If the classes were gonna be easy, he might as well take one he enjoyed, right?

After the first two classes, he tried to sneak away into a corner of a room where he could be semi-alone, but before he could manage to get settled, Erasa spotted him and invited him over to their usual spot. He really wished she wouldn't. He liked these three, for as much as he knew about them, but he didn't want to have every cough he let out dissected for deeper meaning by Videl at the moment.

" _I'd better not blink too often, or she'll figure out that I'm half Saiyan"_ he thought sarcastically.

The only real break he got from them, besides during literature, was lunch, where he managed to phase up to the roof before they were any the wiser. It was risky, using his powers in school, but he didn't think that eating the entire donation bin for the salvation army as a light snack would be something kids normally saw.

It was down to the last class of the day by now, and admittedly, the one that had him slightly nervous. He knew that he wouldn't have a problem acing the class, but that was just it. How was he supposed to keep himself in check if this was the class where you were supposed to exert yourself?

After changing in a stall, he walked outside with the rest of the class. Blinking at the bright sunlight, he caught site of their coach in front of the group. According to what the other boys had said about him, he was a pretty cool, albeit tough, guy. His title was Coach Axe, but he let people call him Sam if they wanted to.

"Listen up, class!" he barked. "I know we just got a week off with the looming apocalypse, but that's no excuse to pick up right where we left off. But, last week was pretty intense. So, I decided that we're gonna have a bit of fun today while we're at it. Grab your jerseys, it's baseball time!"

"Oh yeah, time to dominate" Sharpner chucked. "I _rule_ this game." He looked over at Gohan, who had grabbed a blue jersey out of the bin and slipped it on. "Hey, Brains, I assume you at least know the basics of baseball?"

For some reason, Sharpner had taken to calling Gohan 'Brains' over his real name. Besides his mom's titles, and Piccolo calling him 'Kid,' he never really had a nickname. So he just decided to go along with it.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, one of my friends used to get us all together and we'd play sometimes. He's a pretty good player, so I've had some practice."

Calling Yamcha a 'pretty good baseball player' was a bit of an understatement. They didn't play often, but he has some experience at least.

"Yeah? Good. I was hoping that I wouldn't just have to strike you out without trying. It's no fun that way" Sharpner chuckled.

Gohan frowned slightly. "' _Without trying'?"_ he thought. " _We'll just have to see about that."_

Videl walked up to him, permanent scowl still etched into her face. "So, it sounds like you know what you're doing?" she asked him.

For the life of him, he couldn't understand why every word coming from her sounded accusatory, but he went along with it. "Yeah, I've played a few times."

"Good. You're up to bat first, I want to get a read on your skill level" she commanded.

Gohan shrugged. "Alright" he said.

The teams filed out onto the field. True enough, Gohan was out to bat first, while Sharpner stood a good fifteen feet away, ball in hand.

Gohan maintained a very loose grip on his bat. He didn't want to distort the metal at all. He stood to the right of the plate, and looked down the pitch.

"Hey, kid" Coach Axe called over. "You sure you want to bat there? That's the spot for the lefties."

"Huh? Does it make a difference?" Gohan asked.

"Yeah, well, try it, and you'll see" he shrugged, giving a sharp blow into his whistle. "PLAY BALL!"

"You ready, Brains?" Sharpner called over.

Gohan nodded, moving the bat into position. " _I'd better only give it a light tap"_ he thought.

Sharpner raised his hand, twisted, and sent the ball careening straight towards him. The pitch was quite good by human standards, for a teenager, but to Gohan, it seemed to be moving as slow as molasses.

Moving the bat ever so slightly, he stopped for a brief moment before the ball reached him, and simply tapped it about an inch forward.

With an deafening _crack,_ the ball went sailing into the sky, being far out of sight within seconds. Wasting no time, Gohan dropped the bat on the ground and began to lightly jog around the plates. He made sure to not try to run either, so that he seemed normal enough.

However, he felt that something was wrong when he rounded third and noticed that no one had moved, and almost everyone had their jaws dropped. Slowing down as he made his way home, he paused and looked at Videl. "Uh, did I do something wrong?" he asked.

Blinking, she looked at him, the pure shock on her face replacing the anger that had been on it all day. "Gohan, you just hit that ball well over a mile away" she said. "I thought you said you've only played a couple times?"

Tensing up, Gohan felt like punching himself. " _Geez, can I_ not _hold back enough?"_ he wondered. Playing with Yamcha and the others, they would have caught that ball in two seconds flat. Then he realized, he was comparing Yamcha, one of the strongest humans on the planet, to a bunch of highschoolers. " _Ok, now I_ really _feel like punching myself..."_

"Uh, beginners luck?" he offered. "I guess the ball caught the bat just right. My swings aren't usually that good." No. Usually, they would be a dozen miles away if they were missed.

Blinking again, Videl's scowl returned. "Right, sure" she said. "Well, you're done for now. You can sit on the bench until it's your turn again, or we change sides."

"Ok" Gohan said, not wanting any more of an argument. Walking back over to the bench, most of his team was buzzing about his home run that he just struck. He tried to tune them out, saying he just got lucky and hit it just right. The same excuse he gave Videl.

His team scored two more points before they struck out, meaning that it was time for the groups to change sides of the field. Now, Sharpner's team was up to bat, while Videl's team went out into the field. By this time, things had really calmed down, which Gohan was glad for.

"I'm putting you out in left field" Videl told him. "I assume you know where that is?"

"Um, on the left?" Gohan said with an obvious sort of tone. He immediately regretted his smart response. Not saying another word, he grabbed his glove and ran off into his position out on the field.

" _Well, at least I can't really mess up catching a ball"_ he thought. Catching was more a sign of finesse than strength, anyways. " _I just have to keep my speed down and everything will be fine."_

As he was in the middle of thinking, the first person stepped up to bat. He snapped out of his mind to pay attention to the game. Videl wound up her pitch, and threw a fastball straight down the center of the pitch, which was met with another resounding sound as it was struck. The ball went high into the air. It wasn't as superhuman as Gohan's, but this one was going out of the park.

Blinking, Gohan realized it was going to soar right over his head. The ball was about twenty feet above him, so he ran ahead of it. Approaching the fence, Gohan took a big jump, landing on the top of it, before springing up even further and twisting in the air. Reaching as high as he could, Gohan made it looked like he barely reached it with the tip of his glove, before grabbing it and throwing it towards first base at lightning speed.

The student there stumbled to catch the ball, managing to ensnare it in his glove just before the batter reached first. Smiling at his handiwork, Gohan let gravity take ahold, falling to the ground and landing on the other side of the fence, before running back and hopping back over it.

His teammate closest to him, on second, gave Gohan an impressed thumbs up. "Geez, dude, first you knock the ball into orbit, now you're jumping fifteen feet into the air? What are you, some kind of superhuman?"

" _There you go again, Gohan!"_ he internally groaned. "The ball was just luck, and the wind caught me mid-jump. I barely got it as is, after all."

His teammate on second laughed. "I don't care if you had no skill whatsoever at the game. If you're _that_ lucky, I hope I'm always on your team."

Gohan cracked a nervous smile. "Let's just win this first, then we'll see if my luck is more than an isolated incident."

As it turned out, it was. Or at least, that's how Gohan tried to make it look. He no longer took any jumps, fence or no, more than five feet into the air, which he suspected was still pushing it. Luckily, people seemed to have him down as a frail build, which they used to explain his agility. As for batting, instead of hitting the ball, he waited for the ball to hit the bat, then pushed it away. It didn't earn him any more home runs, but it prevented another freakish hit that could have resulted in a car accident a few miles away.

And thankfully, his two instances of amazing feats were forgotten, for the most part, by the end of the game. It was a close game, altogether, but Videl's team won by a small margin. After the class rejoined, and congratulated each other on a game well played, the coach stepped up to the front of them and cleared his throat.

"Alright, kids, listen up" Coach Axe barked. "You did well today. We'll spend a few more days having some fun, then we'll be having a special unit starting up next week. So enjoy it while it lasts." He looked around. "Well? Class dismissed!"

There was a sudden scrambling as students, eager to go home, ran off towards the locker rooms to change back into their normal clothes. As Gohan, making his way towards the lockers much slower, avoided being shoved by the crowd, he let out a breath. " _Finally. I take it all back. Figuring out how to keep under the radar was much harder than waking up on time!"_

After changing back into his normal attire, Gohan looked around the hall. He seemed to be one of the last ones to come out. "Alright, let's head home" he said aloud.

Walking towards the nearest exit, Gohan stepped outside once more. Looking around hesitantly, making sure no one was there, he nodded in satisfaction and turned the corner. Once he was behind the wall, his light aura sparked around him, and he dashed skyward, not stopping until he was level with the clouds.

He took a deep breath of the fresh air. Up here, it was nice and cool, and perfectly clear. One of the reasons he loved flying so much, it was an experience you could never get down below.

He turned towards the direction he came from that morning, ready to fly home, back to his mother and brother. But before he could, something nagged at the back of his mind.

" _This morning, I couldn't turn into a Super Saiyan anymore"_ Gohan remembered. " _Not that I need it, but it would seriously help if I needed to do something without anyone noticing."_ He had learned the usefulness of the transformation as a disguise back at the tournament. Not a single person outside of his group of friends and family had been able to pair him with the golden fighter that had stepped into the ring when Spopovich and Yamu attacked Vegeta and his dad. " _Maybe Vegeta would help me learn how to unlock it again."_

He remembered, when Elder Kai told him how to unlock his dormant power, he described it as 'trying to turn into a Super Saiyan.' His body remembered that, and took it a step further, like it overwrote the transformation with his own power. He wasn't too hopeful, but there was a chance that Vegeta could help him train his body to differentiate between the two, his unlocked power, and the Saiyan transformation of legend.

Making up his mind, he turned away from Mount Paozu and towards West City. It wasn't difficult to point the right way. Besides himself, Vegeta was the strongest person on the planet. The only other one to even compare is Buu, but considering how odd his energy was, and how lazy he appeared to be, there could be no mistaking him.

Focusing on Vegeta's energy, Gohan's own jumped again, and he took off towards West City.

* * *

Videl walked out front of the school, Erasa and Sharpner by her side.

"For the last time, I'm not in the mood to go shopping today" Videl said, exasperated. "I still have to follow up on this morning before I can even go home."

To be honest, Videl wasn't sure whether she was in a rush to get home or not. On one hand, she felt like she was ready to sleep even longer than a corpse in a cemetery. On the other hand, going home meant seeing Majin Buu again. How was she supposed to sleep with that thing in the house?

"Then come with us, just for a little while? Relax for a bit before work?" Erasa asked.

"Hey, who's this _us?_ " Sharpner asked. "I don't remember agreeing to anything!"

Videl threw her hands in the air. "Since when is shopping with you relaxing?" she asked, exasperated. "Not today, leave it at that. Please?"

"Oh, fine then" Erasa huffed. "But you won't be able to avoid it forever, Videl. Sooner or later, you will go-"

A dull roar shot through the air, booming straight down to their cores, stopping them in shock. The leaves in the trees rustled violently as a heavy wind blew across the grounds. The three of them, and everyone else in the yard, stumbled to keep their balance.

Videl rubbed the side of her head, sleep deprivation making whatever had just happened balloon into a full-on headache, which she was none too happy about. "Alright, now what was that?" she growled, looking up and around.

"It sounded like a damn sonic boom" Sharpner complained, massaging his own ears. "Geez, don't you need licenses that say you know better than to do that to fly something that fast?"

Videl scowled again. "I swear, that's another thing I'll ask. All reports of aircraft in the area." She looked thoughtful for a moment again, before huffing. "You know? New kid lives a long way away, according to him, and we haven't seen him since class ended. You think it could have been him?"

"What, you think he owns a supersonic jet?" Sharpner asked.

"It would explain how he manages to get to and from school from all the way in the 439 mountain area" Videl mused. "The only thing is, I don't know how he could legally get one. No jet on the market is that fast."

Erasa looked at her friend. "Geez, Videl, what's gotten so under your skin that you're investigating Gohan like this?"

"Something just doesn't add up" Videl pointed out. "Something's off about him. He looks like a generic nerd, but you saw him at baseball today. He says he lives hundreds of miles away, and still commutes, which could only be possible if he owns military level vehicles or is hiding something else."

"And yet you didn't question that kid who turned out to be an undercover cop" Erasa pointed out. "And heck, even I could tell something was off with him."

"Just leave it be, Erasa" Videl facepalmed at her friend's persistence. "You're the one who invited him to out group, four times."

"I was trying to help a new kid who had never been to a public school settle in" Erasa said, suddenly defensive. "Are you saying that we should have just left him to fend for himself?"

"No, of course not!" Videl said.

"Then what is it?" Erasa asked.

"I don't know, ok?!" Videl said, finally completely done. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the capsule containing her jet copter. "I've got work to do, and I am _seriously_ not in the mood." She felt a bit guilty that she was snapping at her friends, but she was too tired to even really care at the moment. "I'll see you two tomorrow."

Tossing the capsule on the group, Videl hopped in and took to the skies before she could look back. " _Please let there be a crime that knocks me out cold"_ she thought. " _At least that way I might get some undisturbed sleep."_

Sadly, luck was not on her side in that regard. Arriving at the police station, things were running smoothly, business as normal. Once she was greeted by the chief, she asked if there were currently any situations that needed tending to. Nope. Nothing for her to take care of.

Sighing, she made to walk out the door, but then behind her, the chief called out. "Actually, Miss Videl, before you leave, there is something you can do for us real quick. I almost forgot."

Videl looked back. "Yeah?" she asked. "What is it?"

"The robbery this morning, outside of the Satan Bank" the chief said. "The mysterious figure who took care of the crime for us."

"You called him the Phantom" Videl remembered.

The chief nodded. "Whatever it was, we managed to get something on it" he said. "A security camera outside of the bank caught traces of its movements. We managed to piece together a rough image of the Phantom. Perhaps you could take a look at it, just so you know to keep an eye out."

"Sure, but what for?" Videl asked. She may have been upset about her trip being a waste of time earlier, but that didn't mean that what the Phantom had done was wrong. It had clearly been trying to help.

"It's always best we keep an eye on these things" the chief said, digging through his desk, before emerging with a file. "Here we are. Even the clearest images were quite blurred, so it's not greatly accurate. However, we've done our best."

Nodding, Videl took ahold of the file, and opened it up. It really was rough. It looked more like smudges than anything else. The lower half was red, while the upper half was white and black. It seemed to be humanoid, if nothing else. She would guess male, based on what build she could read off of it. The head seemed to be topped in black, with what she could only assume was either hair or a helmet. Comparing him to surrounding objects, she estimated about six feet in height.

"Six foot tall male, black hair, red, white, and black outfit" she murmured, closing up the file. "I'll keep that in mind, chief."

"Sure thing, Miss Videl" he said, saluting.

Without another word, Videl turned and walked back through the precinct, emerging back into the warm sunlight. Hopping back into her jet copter, she set a course for home, and let out a breath.

" _Dad says that Buu's really kind, he was just too ignorant to realize what he had been doing was so wrong before"_ Videl thought. " _I guess I have to learn to get past that at some point. After all, all he needed was a friend, right? If I can accept him, at the very least, I can get some good rest again."_

But something else was nagging at her, besides the Majin slumbering at her place. "That picture, of the Phantom. It seemed familiar, for some reason. I just can't put my finger on it…" she mused aloud. "I feel like the answer's right in front of me, but I can't seem to get it. Come on, think, stupid brain, think!"

Try as she might, she just couldn't nail it down. Maybe tomorrow, but it was impossible for the moment. " _I'm going to drive myself crazy right now. Just drop it"_ she chided herself, just as Satan Manor pulled into view.

* * *

 **West City**

* * *

Gohan dropped out of the atmosphere, slowing down rapidly as he fell towards the immaculate lawns of the Capsule Corporation. He was surprised, a moment later, when he was suddenly tackled from behind, and pushed to the ground.

Rolling on his back, he looked up to see the laughing face of Trunks above him. "Ha ha, got you good, Gohan!" he laughed.

"Yeah, you sure did" Gohan conceded. "You're getting pretty good at masking your power. I didn't even sense anyone out here."

"Yeah, and you weren't even trying to mask yours" Trunks said. "Honestly, I could have probably sensed you from that Kai planet thing our dads were on."

"I was in a hurry, a little bit at least" Gohan shrugged. "Hey, speaking of our dads, is Vegeta busy right now? I kind of wanted to talk to him."

Trunks tilted his hand. "He's in the gravity room, so he's about as free as he normally is" he huffed. He didn't hate it as much as his mom, but he was hoping that dying and coming back to life would have meant he'd have a bit more time to spend with him. "I doubt he'd do anything if you bothered him, thought."

"I doubt he'd even be able to if he wanted to" Gohan chuckled. "You want to show me the way there?"

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, sure thing!" he piped up, walking towards the living quarters of the grounds. As they walked, Trunks looked back up at Gohan. "Hey, do you know when Goten's going to be allowed to come over and train again?" he asked. "Me and him really want to get to the point where we could beat you as Super Gotenks."

Gohan smiled at the thought. Gotenks sure was powerful, especially as a Super Saiyan 3, but he knew that they were a long way off from his level. Not to sound cocky or anything. "I'll see, Trunks, but without a crisis, Mom doesn't usually let Goten do anything beyond basic training with her. He's not even supposed to become a Super Saiyan very often."

"Aw…" Trunks pouted. "Can you at least find some time for him to sneak out? We could get some time in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber here and there!"

"Hah, you want me to help my brother sneak out?" Gohan asked. "You've definitely inherited your father's training obsession."

"Hey!" Trunks said indignantly.

"Calm down, it's not a completely bad thing" Gohan chuckled. "I'll see if I can find time that Goten is allowed to come play, but even if you guys are allowed to, you know you can't use the chamber too much, right?"

"Why not?" Trunks asked.

"Because if I'm waiting out there for two hours while you two train, that's a month in there, and trust me, your moms would be pretty upset if you suddenly were a whole month older."

"Oh, that's right, huh…" Trunks said, abashed. "Well, no problem. Thanks for helping, Gohan!"

"Sure thing" Gohan smiled. He would _really_ have to watch out for these two at this rate. He was worse off before the whole Buu incident, but they'd catch up in no time at this rate, if only through their Fusion.

Emerging from the hall, Gohan found himself following Trunks right into the living room where Bulma was sitting. "Hey Mom, guess what? Gohan's here" Trunks said happily.

"Huh?" Bulma looked over, seeing the much taller demi-Saiyan behind her son. "Oh, hey there Gohan, what's going on?"

"Oh, not much, I was hoping to come talk with Vegeta for a bit" Gohan explained.

After walking over and giving Gohan a hug, she continued. "How come?" she wondered.

"Well, you see, ever since Old Kai unlocked my power, I haven't been able to turn into a Super Saiyan anymore" he explained. "I know I don't need it, but I was going to use it to disguise myself when I take care of criminals."

"Figures, the most powerful being in the universe would be out taking care of the local lowlifes" Bulma chuckled.

"Well, I'm going to school in Satan City now, thanks to Mom, and you know me. I've _never_ liked people that harm others for their own gain" Gohan explained. "And I really don't want to stick out."

Bulma nodded. "Yeah, that sounds about right" she admitted. "Tell you what. Even if Vegeta is uncooperative, or you're still having trouble, I can whip something up real quick that can be a disguise for you. Super Saiyan or no, you'll still be able to do what you want without drawing attention."

Gohan broke out into a wide smile. "Wow, Bulma, that'd be great!" he cheered. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't sweat it, kid" Bulma grinned. "I've always kinda liked you anyways, and it's not like it'll be for doing anything but good. Now go talk to that muscle-head and see if you can get your Super self back, and I'll throw something together. Shouldn't take more than ten minutes or so."

"Alright. Thanks again, Bulma" Gohan said cheerily, as Trunks pointed him in the direction of the Gravity Chamber.

"No problem" Bulma waved as he ran down the hall.

* * *

Sure enough, Vegeta was in the chamber, like usual. Gohan emerged in the control room, where he had a first row seat of the prince's performance. Gravity being set to 550x Earth's gravity, Vegeta dashed around, entire body tense as he struck each of the training robots.

"Hey there, Vegeta, how's it hangin'?" Gohan asked through the mic.

Vegeta, who had been flying on course for another target, stopped suddenly, and faced the control booth. "Brat? What are you doing here?" he grunted.

"I'll be right down there, one sec" Gohan said, pulling away from the controls and walking towards the entry hatch. Pulling the door open, Gohan stepped into the intense gravity zone. Raising his power accordingly, Gohan stood up, gravity change barely being felt as he approached the power of an ascended Super Saiyan.

Vegeta frowned as Gohan entered. "What, did you come to show off?" he growled, slightly put off that the child could surpass him at his strongest without transforming.

"Actually, kind of the opposite, Vegeta" Gohan admitted, closing the hatch. "I kinda need your help with something."

"Well, am I supposed to guess?" Vegeta asked sarcastically.

"Sorry, no" Gohan shook his head. "The thing is, ever since my powers were unlocked, I haven't been able to go Super Saiyan."

"So?" Vegeta asked. "I was under the impression that you didn't need the transformation to access that power anymore."

"Well, I don't, but I was hoping that I could still transform so that I could disguise myself as a Super Saiyan" Gohan explained. "It would be a lot easier than masking my power everywhere I go in public."

Vegeta huffed, and crossed his arms. "Well, brat, do you have any idea on what the issue is?" he asked sharply.

Gohan blinked, not having actually expected Vegeta to help him. "Uh, I think so" he said. "Old Kai said that to access the power he unlocked, I would power up like turning into a Super Saiyan." Vegeta nodded, cueing him to continue. "Well, since then, it seems like my body has kind of fallen into that groove, where whenever I try to transform, I just automatically ascend to that level, without actually transforming."

Vegeta nodded, taking in the information. "Well, it's quite simple, really" he smirked. "You can't turn into a Super Saiyan anymore."

Gohan blinked. " _What?!"_ he asked.

Vegeta shrugged. "Not at the moment, anyways" he said. "Think of it like a circuit. Your power used to plug straight into the Super Saiyan transformation. But, you shoved it down, and placed your unlocked powers on top of it. The module containing the transformation is there, but now there is no path leading to it, and as such, you are cut off from it."

"But, so then, how do I make a path leading to it?" Gohan asked.

"You need to go through a similar awakening" Vegeta said. "The path was initially created by an intense burst of rage. A need, fueled by anger. To re-open a new one, you must undergo the process again."

"Oh, that's it?" Gohan asked.

Vegeta huffed. "You make it sound so easy" he shook his head. "Don't you understand? You're going to have a very hard time simulating the need for the power of the transformation, considering you can currently reach levels far surpassing ascended Saiyans by hardly trying. The powers you tap into now, and the powers of the Super Saiyan are two separate entities. Becoming a Super Saiyan won't push your powers even further now, instead, transforming will limit your powers to that level for the duration of the form."

Gohan frowned. "Oh, then that's a bit more difficult" he muttered. "Another thing. If I become a Super Saiyan again, will that lock me out of my full power? Since they're both really similar?"

"I suspect your true power is too ingrained by now to be so easily lost" Vegeta spoke. "However, if I were you, if you somehow manage to transform again, hold onto that feeling. That will be your harness for the form over the power."

"I think I get it now" Gohan said. "Hey, Vegeta, do you think that maybe if you fought me, it could push me to transform again?"

Vegeta laughed out loud, making Gohan frown again. "Brat, do you honestly think that as I am now, I pose a challenge to you?" he asked. "I'll come talk to you again once I reach Kakarot's Super Saiyan 3, maybe I'll be able to help you then, and you can be my punching bag for testing purposes." He smirked following the statement.

"Well, work hard, then, and I'll hold you to that" Gohan chuckled.

Vegeta laughed lightly, and shook his head. "A Saiyan wanting another to gain power so he can regain a lesser power. Ok, now I've seen everything. Get out of here, brat, and leave me to my training."

"Alright, Vegeta" Gohan paused. "Thank you, for helping me."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "No sentiment, just go" he growled.

Gohan chuckled again, before walking out and closing the door behind him. Within seconds, he could hear that Vegeta was back at it again, seemingly even more furious than before. "He must really want to break that barrier" Gohan noted, before walking back down the hall.

Navigating the halls of the giant building once more, he found his way back to the living room where he had first entered. Trunks was sitting on the couch, playing a video game on the t.v., where he appeared to be a person covered in orange armor, with a gun for an arm. "Hey, Gohan!" Trunks waved. "How did things go with my dad?"

"Well, turns out things are going to be a little more difficult for me than I thought" Gohan said. "I don't think I'll be a Super Saiyan again anytime soon."

"Well, then it's a good thing that you're good friends with one of the greatest scientific minds in the world" Bulma said as she emerged from the other room. "What exactly is the problem with your transforming?"

"Apparently, my new powers overrode my transformation, so until I unlock them like I did the first time" Gohan said. "But because of my new powers, it would be a lot more difficult to simulate the need to transform."

Bulma nodded. "Yeah, that's quite the conundrum" she admitted. "Well, for now, here's your new disguise."

Pulling a capsule out of her pocket, she tossed it across the room, where Gohan grabbed it out of the air. With the okay from Bulma, Gohan pressed the button on the top of the capsule, and in his hands, appeared…

"A watch?" Gohan asked. It was a simple digital watch. Light grey metal links, basic green and black interface, and buttons on the side for setting it.

"Put it on and press the red button" Bulma instructed.

Looking at it again, Gohan slipped the device onto his left wrist, and clicked the button. A light blue energy sparked out of the watch and immediately spread across his entire body, coating him in the pale glow. His vision darkened as he felt something appear around his head, and a light pressure seemed to be applied to his entire body.

"Whoa, what happened?" Gohan asked.

Bulma grinned. "Take a look in the mirror" she said.

Turning, Gohan gasped at what he saw. His old clothes were no longer on his body, instead, he was in a completely new outfit. A tight black jumpsuit went from his ankles and wrists to his neck, which was covered by white boots and gloves, as well as a green tunic. Gold buttons fastened a flowing red cape to his shoulders, and on his head, an orange helmet with two antennae and a dark visor sat there.

"I figured if you were gonna be fighting crime, you might as well look the part" Bulma said cheerfully. "Well, what do you think?"

Gohan turned to Bulma. "Bulma, you know I can't lie to you" he said. Pausing, he broke out into a huge grin. "It's awesome!"

Bulma gave a thumbs up. "Then it looks like I've still got it" she said, a hint of triumph and pride in her voice. "So, what's your name gonna be?"

"Huh? My name?" Gohan asked.

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you need an alias. You can't very well go around as Gohan, can you? That would kind of be counter-productive."

"Oh, that's right" Gohan realized, striking a thinking pose. "Let's see here, I'm using this in place of my Super Saiyan transformation, so maybe something to do with Saiyans? Valiant Vegetable? No, that's too silly."

Bulma broke down laughing. "Ok, even if that's not it, that was too good" she said, eliciting a smile from Gohan.

"Let's see then… Super Saiyan… Super Saiya, hmm, this is difficult. Saiyan, Sai, Saiya something…" Gohan's eyes brightened. "I've got it!" he snapped. "How about Saiyaman?"

"Saiyaman, huh?" Bulma pondered. "Hey, yeah, that's got a nice ring to it."

"Yeah, sweet, so now I've got a disguise and a name, perfect" Gohan pumped his fist. Hitting the button on the watch again, he changed back into his normal clothes. "Gee, thanks a ton, Bulma."

"Sure, don't mention it" Bulma winked. "I sure hope you do good in school, kid. And tell your mom I say hi."

"Sure thing" Gohan nodded. "Speaking of which, I'd better get out of here before she gets too mad at me for being home late. Cya guys later!"

"Bye Gohan" Trunks waved from the couch.

"See you soon, Gohan" Bulma nodded.

"Yeah, will do" Gohan said, before turning and running back down the hall, reaching the front door in no time and running outside.

Taking to the air, Gohan made sure to fly up a long ways before really taking off. Once he was back among the clouds, Gohan's power spiked upwards, and he darted towards home, clouds clearing in his wake.

" _So, I may not become a Super Saiyan again for a long while, if at all, but at least now I have a failsafe way of stopping criminals"_ Gohan smiled. " _That costume was really something, and I'm glad I can put it to such good use."_

Reaching home in no time flat once more, Gohan dived down out of the sky, flipping forward and landing lightly out front of his little house in the mountains. School was not as difficult as he had been psyching himself out for it to be, but all the same, he was really glad to finally be back.

Walking forward, he pulled the door open. "Mom, I'm home!"

* * *

 **That seemed as good of a place as any to stop as any. Chapter was done, anyways.**

 **So, yes, for the time being, Gohan cannot become a Super Saiyan. His newfound strength makes things in that department a little more difficult. We'll just have to see down the line if he reclaimed the transformation.**

 **Yes, Saiyaman is in the story. I know that most people didn't particularly enjoy Saiyaman, opting for either a new persona, or at least a redesign. However, I loved him, cringe-worthy poses, lines, and all. So, yeah, he's here.**

 **This chapter was pretty similar to Gohan's first day of highschool, yet hopefully, with enough twists from the original that things are entertaining. If the original Gohan thought maintaining low power was difficult, what is a Gohan who can use Super Saiyan 3 levels of power without barely trying going to do?**

 **Anyways, that's about all for now, besides one last thing. Usually, when it comes to reviews, I'll simply respond to the reviewer through PM. However, this time, I'm deciding to do something else that I see authors do, and respond to questions through these author's notes. I won't respond to each individual review, just the ones that ask questions, however, that doesn't mean that I am any less grateful for the people that reviewed their enjoyment of the story! So, here I go.**

 **lancecomwar - I honestly haven't really decided. I kinda liked Lime's design, but haven't thought of a real way to include her. But, I do like to reference all forms of canon that the show forgets in my stories. I'm considering it.**

 **Daikou - yeah, anything that didn't get mentioned, went basically the same as it did in the original, so Majin Vegeta and everything happened. I also agree, while Goku in Super is more what he was supposed to be, I much prefer him closer to how he is in Z.**

 **I.C.2014 - more or less. He's not really going to get** _ **even stronger**_ **by much, but he won't be declining for a long time to come**

 **Anonymous - well, you might be slightly confused. Goku was at full power against Fat Buu, because he had the built-up spirit energy allowing him his full power. It was only later, after he returned without the spare energy, that he was weakened. Also, Kid Buu was actually the weakest form, but the most chaotic. The other Buus had the power of the Kais and other absorbtees within them. Kid Buu was just unrestrained rage. Double power may have been a slight exaggeration, but Goku did say that he and Vegeta would be no match for Buu in the anime. No match vs. decimation means that being twice as powerful isn't too far from the truth.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and until the next one, have a great time. Drop a review if you want, and I'll see you then. Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2 - Saiyaman**

* * *

 **Son Residence**

* * *

"Gohan, I sent you to school to make friends, not parade around the city as a superhero" ChiChi chided.

"Mom, I know" Gohan huffed. "But it's not like it's any danger to me, or takes much time. Besides, you know I can't just let innocent people get hurt. Isn't this better than letting that happen, or going in as I am and getting recognized?" he countered.

ChiChi sighed. "You really are your father's son" she admitted. "He wasn't one to sit by either." Her face softened. "Fine, I'll allow it. Just promise me that you'll be perfectly safe."

"Come on, Mom. You know that unless Vegeta got the urge to do something, there's probably nothing on the planet that could put me at risk" he pointed out.

Having come home from school, Gohan quickly did his homework, which had been comparable to his work when he was eight, and had dinner before he told his mom and brother about what he'd be doing. ChiChi had been less than happy about it originally, but had gotten over it. And while she wouldn't say it, she was much happier with the costume over the alternative of being a Super Saiyan. She had never really appreciated the transformation that her family underwent.

Goten had freaked out in excitement and demanded to see the costume, which Gohan was more than happy to comply with. Goten froze in awe when he saw Gohan's outfit, and recommended adding "great" to his title to make him sound more hero-ey. Great Saiyaman. It was perfect.

To help calm his brother down, the two of them went outside and decided to spar for a bit. Goten powered up to Super Saiyan, while Gohan tried to keep his level low to match him. The little golden bullet proved to be a bit difficult to hit, and Gohan found himself slipping into higher levels subconsciously without trying, catching his brother off guard at the sudden increase in speed. Goten eventually lost the match, but he put up a good struggle against his brother. Gohan let him know that Trunks wanted to train with him again sometime soon, which got Goten happy again. Those boys really wanted to push their Fusion to their very limits.

Wandering back inside, the two demi-Saiyans had built up quite the appetite, and devoured the dinner laid out in front of them. Relaxing in the living room for a while, Gohan eventually excused himself to go to sleep. He hated feeling groggy in the morning, so he decided it might be good to go crash just a little earlier each night. Saying goodnight to his family, he retired to his room. Taking his new watch off, he set it on his bedside table, before crawling under the covers, falling asleep almost immediately.

* * *

The morning after, hundreds of miles away, Videl stretched her arms as she awoke from her deep sleep. She felt like she was in a better mood than she had been in weeks, which she probably was, now that she had had some decent rest.

Stepping lightly out of her room, Videl made her way downstairs, where she was surprised to see that her father, and Buu, were already up. She gave a small smile at the site. It appeared that her father had just told a joke, because Buu was laughing quite hard.

In the last of her waking hours the previous day, her dad had convinced her to spend some time with Buu and him. She hesitantly agreed, and because of that, she got to learn a lot more about the pink alien.

Apparently, he liked all forms of sweets, was much smarter than his childish voice and innocent persona let on, and Hercule was his favorite person ever. He was quite ignorant to the ways a lot worked, which wasn't always a bad thing. It was quite amusing when Bee licked him, so he licked Bee right back.

Oh, another thing. After meeting her dad, Buu had found Bee, just a tiny injured dog, out in the open. After helping the dog recover, it took a liking to Buu, leading him to his first friendship besides her dad. He had also named Bee, which she probably should have guessed sooner.

There were several things that she didn't understand about what Buu said, something about magic balls and wizards and cookie demons, but she figured that was more of his innocence showing. It was likely that her dad had shown him what a t.v. was as well.

All in all, Buu was actually quite heartwarming to see. He was fun, sweet, and just had a happy aura around him. And because of that, Videl had a much easier time sleeping that night, now seeing the difference between the monster that had terrorized the planet and the pink blob in the house.

Hercule looked up as Videl entered the room. "Oh, good morning, pumpkin" he waved. "How are you this morning?"

"A lot better than I have been" Videl admitted, smiling as she walked into the kitchen. "Good morning to you, Buu."

"Hi Miss Videl!" Buu said in his unique, high pitched voice. "Buu happy you do good today!"

"Thanks" Videl smiled. Giving her father a quick hug, she sat down at the table and pulled up a bowl and a box of cereal.

"So, Videl, how was your first day back at school?" Hercule asked. "We didn't really get a chance to talk outside of our little group yesterday."

"Oh, it's just like normal" she half groaned, half waved off dismissively. "They're already working your fight with the evil Buu into the curriculum…"

Hercule laughed. "They just can't keep their mitts off me, can they?" he boomed.

Videl felt like letting out another groan, but refrained. "Besides that, the only thing different is a new kid in the class. Really weird, says he lives far away, but commutes every day."

Hercule chuckled. "Oh, well, some things come out wrong, you know" he pointed out. "When I was a kid, even _I_ was nervous going to a new school."

"Not sure there was any room for anything to come out wrong" Videl muttered, sure of what she had heard the day prior, but didn't say it loud enough for her dad to hear.

Finishing her breakfast in silence, Videl quickly ran back upstairs to grab her bag and through her clothes on. Dressed simply in black shorts and a baggy white shirt, she ran out the door, bidding her father and Buu goodbye as she left for the day.

Decapsulating her jet copter, Videl hopped in and flew up, ready to head straight for school. Once she had flown up high enough, she turned towards her destination and flew off, entire city passing by beneath her.

" _This morning seems like it's peaceful enough"_ she thought, doing a scan over the streets as she flew overhead. " _Good, I'm glad for the change of pace for on-"_

A sudden screeching sound, loud enough to pierce into the cabin of the vehicle, interrupted her thoughts in a most rude fashion. "Scratch that" she growled. "There's never a morning off here." Looking down below, she soon found the cause of the disturbance. Two police cars following close behind, a single vehicle with two passengers darted through the streets at speeds that would give many top of the line racecars a run for their money.

"Damn joyriders" Videl muttered, swooping lower, towards the street. Several collisions were narrowly avoided just in the brief time it took her to descend to the level of the rooftops. "I need to stop these morons before anyone gets hurt!"

Diving down, Videl hovered just above the police that were in hot pursuit of the same people. Making a sudden, swift turn, the joyriders swung around the corner, quick enough that Videl had to quickly ascend over the rooftops once more to make the turn without colliding into the building. Wheeling around in the air, Videl shot off towards the car once more. Her eyes widened as she realized that they were careening straight a large cluster of others, stopped at a red light, and were showing no signs of slowing down. "No, no, no…" Videl muttered. "Just stop, dammit!"

The jet copter was suddenly jostled violently, and Videl scrambled to stabilize as she realized, _something_ had flown past her at unbelievable speeds. A blur of green and red dashed past everyone, and planted down on the ground directly in front of the joyriders. She managed to make out the form of a person, and her eyes widened in shock as she realized they were going to be hit. Her foot was about to slam on the accelerator when it happened.

There was a collision alright. But the one to take the damage wasn't the lone person before the car. There was a terrific crashing sound, of crumpling metal, as the car tilted forward, the imprint of the one before them now carved into the hood.

Gawking, Videl settled down alongside the two squad cars of backup, as the scene became much clearer. The two men sitting in the car appeared to be unconscious. The lack of seatbelts led her to believe that they had smacked their heads on the windshield, instantly knocking them out cold. The front of the car was little more than a scrap-heap. But that wasn't the most shocking part.

Arms crossed, a completely _bizarre_ figure stood before the wreckage. A tall man, almost completely cloaked within strange apparel, arms crossed across his chest, surveyed the car. Wearing a long green tunic over a black bodysuit, wearing thick white boots and gloves, and the look completed by a red cape and orange visored helmet.

The mysterious figure glanced over towards the police, seemingly ignoring Videl. "These men have been neutralized. You can take care of the process from here, I suppose?"

Blinking, the police scrambled to retrieve handcuffs from their compartments, running over to the vehicle that the two men sat in. The same figure nodded in satisfaction. "Then, it would appear that my work here is done" he said, looking skyward. His voice, it seemed to be artificially heroic. "Farewell!"

"Hold up!" Videl shouted, causing the figure to pause. "Just what in the heck _are you?_ "

"Hm?" he asked, looking over at you. "Videl? What are you doing here?" He seemed genuinely surprised, but more than that, he sounded like it was more a shock of seeing her personally than seeing her show up.

"My job, when random vigilantes don't swoop in and do it instead" Videl growled. "Let me guess, you're the guy that took care of the crooks at the bank the other day?"

"Uhh…" he stuttered. "I don't recall being at a bank anytime recently, sorry to disappoint. But, I do have to go, so, bye-"

"Just who are you?!" Videl shouted at the cloaked man.

"Me?" he asked. "Oh, why, I am a defender of justice everywhere. But, you may call me, the Great Saiyaman."

He didn't appear to be waiting for an encore, as the moment he uttered those words, there was a large ripple that passed through the air, a gust that pushed Videl back, and through squinted eyes, she saw the man, introduced as the Great Saiyaman (" _Ugh, what an idiotic name"_ ), take to the sky, flying out of sight within a moment.

"What in the-?!" Videl exclaimed. " _He's flying! How is he… Oh, great, our next hero is nothing but another of those tricksters. Figures."_ Trick or no, Videl now found herself studying the crime scene. Whatever had been pulled, trick or not, it was pretty impressive to have stopped a speeding car as such.

Videl shot a look to the policemen. "I've got school. I _suppose_ you can take care of processing them?"

The man nearest to her nodded. "Yes, we have this handled, Miss Videl" he swore.

"Good, make sure it happens" Videl told him, climbing back into her jet copter. A look at the clock on her dash, and she groaned aloud. 7:43. Class starts in less than two minutes. Looks like she'd be late arriving again.

" _Sometimes, I hate my job."_

* * *

Gohan braked hard, slowing his massive momentum just in time to skid to a halt on the roof of the Orange Star High School. Skipping lightly so that his feet would not carve through the concrete, he slowed down enough that he could easily open the door and dash inside.

He made his way down the hall stairs, arriving just in front of his classroom as the loud tone of the bell rang through the halls. Consciously making sure to not rip the door off of its hinges in his hurry, he stepped inside.

His teacher, Mrs. Jayden, looked his way as he came in. "Ah, Mr. Son, please, try to arrive a little earlier in the future?" she asked.

Gohan nodded. "Sorry, I have a long trip here" he said. That was true, it just didn't have any effect on his arrival time.

"Which is why I will offer some leeway, but take your seat for now" Mrs. Jayden said, turning back to the attendance sheet and making a small mark near the bottom of the paper.

Nodding, Gohan looked around for a free seat. However, a much easier landmark to spot was the high risen, waving arm attached to a bubbly blonde girl beneath it. Shrugging, Gohan walked up the steps and took his seat on the end of the row, right next to Erasa. "Hey there, guys" Gohan said cheerfully, nodding slightly.

"Hey there, Gohan" Erasa smiled.

"Hey Brains" Sharpner said, lifting two fingers in greeting.

Setting down his bag, Gohan looked towards the front of the room. There was a slight twitch in his temple as he felt an aggravated ki come their way. " _Videl was out at the scene of that crime too"_ Gohan thought. " _And she said that she was 'doing her job?' What does that mean?"_ He internally groaned. " _Is she seriously on the police force? Great, an interrogating force like her out at the scene of every lowlife encounter in the city?"_ Her energy signal settled down outside of the school.

He still wasn't quite over just how hard she had grilled him the day prior. It was like every little word he uttered was cause for probing. He frowned slightly at the thought. " _Geez, I've never met anyone so untrusting, not even Piccolo was like that in the beginning."_

Mrs. Jayden had just finished taking role when the door opened up, and Videl came strolling in. "Sorry I'm late" she said to the teacher.

Mrs. Jayden shook her head. "It's no problem, we understand the weight of your community service" she said. "Please, take your seat."

Nodding, Videl made her way up the stairs, making note of Gohan's spot as well beside her friends. " _Oh, he's here again"_ she thought. " _Why did Erasa invite him over again?"_ Her face soured slightly. " _No, that's not what I meant. Gohan doesn't seem like a bad person, but it seems like he's consciously hiding so much about himself. And I don't appreciate liars."_

Taking her seat between her friends, Videl let out a small breath as she relaxed. After yesterday, she was just glad to be in this room without feeling like banging her head against the desk.

"Now then, very good. Class, today, we will be beginning a new project" Mrs. Jayden began, eliciting both intrigue and apprehension from the class. "With recent events taken into account, our world seems to be threatened quite often. There are heroes such as Mr. Satan-"

" _And, interest gone"_ Videl thought.

"-that help stop such catastrophes, however, they still existed, and thus, become an important part of history" she finished. "And as such, are topics that one must be educated in. So, for our next topic, you shall form groups of four, and in your groups, select one major event to threaten society."

Gohan's eyes widened slightly at the announcement. " _A major, global event? Are you kidding me? Oh, man, you mean the kinds where me or my dad were on the front line?"_ Gohan let out a sigh. " _Well, I mean, at least it's an easy grade. Firsthand experience will help with that."_

"For now, form your groups and begin your research on which topics you may want to explore in depth. You may start now."

Gohan looked up and around, trying to see where there was an open spot for him, before he remembered that he was already a part of a group of four. Looking left, he saw that Erasa was looking at him expectantly, Videl appeared to be in deep thought, and Sharpner seemed to be staring off into space.

Giving a short nod, Erasa smiled. "Well, then that settles it. Come on, guys, let's see what we're going to do."

Gohan closed his eyes and mentally went over most events he could recall off the top of his head. He doubted that the experience with the Black Water Mist would be recorded. Frieza was more well known to the rest of the universe than he had been here. Even his arrival on the planet was stumped by the Trunks from the future, so he didn't exactly get any publicity.

He remembered two events his dad had helped stop in the past. One of them being the Red Ribbon Army's takeover, and the other was King Piccolo. The Red Ribbon Army, though, the public had no idea how it fell apart, and it would sound ludicrous for him to say "my dad beat them all when he was younger than me."

As for King Piccolo, well, he didn't feel like going into detail on how he was never truly defeated, just changed sides when aliens came to attack the planet.

Beyond that, there were a few more recent events that he could recall. Those, of course, being Cell and Majin Buu. He had been on the frontline for both fights. Of course, the world believed that Mr. Satan had delivered them from both catastrophes, but he could probably fake it knowing that. Of course, what he _didn't_ know, was what story Mr. Satan was feeding the press about Buu.

That being said, he was only really left with one option he could really contribute for… And the thought caused his shoulder to twinge uncomfortably.

Videl beat him to it. "Why don't we just do the Cell Games?" she asked. "After all, I do have a good source for info about it. It won't be too hard."

"Oh? Who's your source, Videl?" Gohan asked.

For the second time in two days, the three of them looked at him with wide eyes. "Wait wait wait wait, hold on, you _seriously_ don't know who she is?" Erasa asked. "I thought you were just joking yesterday."

Gohan knit his brows and shook his head. "No, I don't. All I know is that she seems to help the police out, and that her name is Videl."

"Maybe a last name to tie into that would jog your memory?" Sharpner asked. "Videl _Satan._ "

"Satan?" Gohan asked, before he realized what was being implied. " _Oh,_ I get it now, you're Mr. Satan's daughter?"

He remembered, while they were flying around in search of Dende, while Buu was in hiding, Hercule seemed to be in a large amount of grief over the fact that Buu had killed his little girl. As he looked, he couldn't find much resemblance between the two, save for the fact that their eyes were the same exact color. Her eyes were much more piercing, but the same shade of blue as the World Champion.

His eyebrows raised in surprise, but the other three seemed to be more shocked at how he was handling the news. They didn't say anything, but turned back to the work.

"So, if we're gonna do the Cell Games, we just have to meet with your dad?" Erasa asked.

Videl sighed and shrugged. "Honestly, with how showboaty he is, I doubt I'll be able to get much, if any, real facts out of him. I'll talk with him, but you guys should see what you can find also."

" _Right, I'll just leave out the facts that he came from the future and is a biodroid made of the DNA of several of the strongest beings in the universe, including my dad, my friends, and some aliens. Yeah, perfectly easy."_

"Gohan, I assume you have internet access?" Videl asked.

"Huh?" Gohan asked. "Oh, yeah, sure I do. I can do research, don't worry."

" _If by research I mean just thinking back to one of the worst memories I can think of, sure."_

Even though just about all the damage had been neutralized, his time at the Cell Games was one of his worst. Sure, his dad was coming back. That didn't change the fact that it was his bloodlust as a Super Saiyan 2 that killed him in the first place. He still wore a scar on his shoulder from where Cell's second Death Beam after returning had struck, and it tingled by merely remembering the biodroid.

They had won in the end, but that didn't make it any less traumatizing.

"Gohan, are you okay?" Erasa's voice asked.

Snapping out of his repertoire, Gohan realized he had begun scowling quite fiercely at the recollection. Blinking, he tried to calm himself, and smiled. "Sure I am, why do you ask?"

Videl looked at Gohan sideways through the corner of her eyes. " _That's strange. All I did was ask him if he had internet. He looks completely different like that. He's a nerd, but he almost looked… Scarred, right then. Does it have to do with the Cell Games? I know it wasn't fun for anyone, but everything righted itself in the end, right?"_

They spent the rest of the period discussing what they already knew about the tournament the monster had held seven years ago. Gohan offered input here and there, but seemed to be trying to stay out of this part of the conversation, which further fed Videl's suspicions. " _He's holding something back, alright."_

The next period went pretty smoothly. Math was never too hard for Videl, but Gohan seemed to completely blow even the teacher out of the water. Some of the longest, hardest equations that made their way onto the board, Gohan was doing within seconds, in his head. The only things he wrote on the paper were the answers.

While Gohan left for literature, Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner went off to their english class. This was the only class that felt just like it used to. Just the three of them together doing the work.

After english came lunch time, every student's favorite part of the day, because it was the only period that didn't involve school work. Videl made her way from the cafeteria line over to the table where the three of them usually sat, just outside. Sitting down with her lunch, she looked around. "I, for one, am starving" she said.

Her two friends agreed with her. Before she tore into her burger, however, something was nagging at the back of her mind. Doing a quick scan over the entire cafeteria and courtyard, she noticed that someone was not present. "Where do you think Gohan is?" she wondered.

"Huh?" Sharpner asked, glancing across the tables as well. He shrugged. "Maybe Brains doesn't eat lunch. He is pretty skinny, after all. He's probably in the library."

"Sharpner, everyone has to eat" Erasa pointed out. "I bet he's just somewhere eating alone."

"Why would he be eating alone?" Videl asked. "I mean, it's not like he's not already a part of our group."

"Oh, you've seen the guy, he's probably too shy to realize that we're his friends and want to see him outside of class" Erasa reasoned. "You know, why don't we go find him?"

Videl's stomach grumbled in protest to these words, but she ignored it. If Gohan joined them for lunch, who knows, maybe she could get him to talk about whatever he was keeping from everyone. Never had she experienced someone keeping a secret so wide scale and having it be a good thing.

"They don't allow food in the classrooms or the library, and he's not out here" Videl deducted. "Maybe he's on the roof?" To be honest, before she met Erasa, the roof of her school would usually be where she would retire during lunch. She knew a little bit about feeling alone in a new place, and more importantly, what the person would do with those feelings. "Why don't we check there?"

Erasa smiled. "Then to the roof we shall go!" she said in a singsong voice as she picked up her tray.

Videl and, begrudgingly, Sharpner, grabbed their own, and made their way through the halls, and up the steps towards the top of the school. Arriving at the heavy metal door placed there, Videl pushed it open with her foot, arms being taken by her tray.

Emerging under the clear blue sky, Videl was surprised that she was right in one. Sitting a little ways across the rooftop, Gohan was there, back towards them.

As they stepped out onto the rooftop, a firm breeze made itself known, blowing towards the door behind them, causing it to slam shut. Gohan's head turned around, and he looked surprised as he saw the three of them standing there.

The breeze stopped.

"Oh, hey guys" Gohan said, seeming a little confused as to why they were there. "What are you guys doing up here?"

"The better question, is why are _you_ up here?" Videl asked.

"What?" Gohan asked, now more visibly confused.

"You know that when you have friends, you don't need to eat alone, right?" Erasa giggled.

"Oh, really?" Gohan asked, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Videl didn't buy this. He had to know at least that he didn't have to be alone during lunch. "Sorry."

"That's okay, do you mind if we join you?" Erasa asked.

Gohan paused for a moment, then smiled kindly. "Sure thing" he said.

Seeming satisfied, Erasa made her way over, while the other two followed. Gohan had been leaning back against a generator, so they hadn't seen much around him. When they walked up to him, however, they were shocked at just how many empty containers of food were piled up around him. Almost as many as he had left that were still full of food.

"What?" he asked, wondering why they all had stopped.

"You, uh, have a lot of food" Videl said dumbly.

"Hm?" Gohan asked, following their eyes, and remembering why he ate alone on the first day. "Oh, yeah, I just have a big appetite."

" _No one has an appetite that big"_ Videl frowned. " _That's a week of 3 meals per day to your average person."_

"Although, I'm not as hungry as usual today. You guys want to help finish?" he offered.

Surprised by his offer, Videl was taken aback. "Uh, sure" she said, Erasa and Sharpner following suit. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it" Gohan said as he passed each of them a few containers of food, containing large amounts of rice and stir fry. It looked amazing. He picked up one of the other remaining containers for himself, and started eating again, rather slowly for someone who claimed to have a massive appetite.

The other three began to try the meal they had received from Gohan. Sharpner's eyes bulged. "Dude, where did you have to go and what did you have to pay to get this?" he said. "This has to be one of the best things I've had in ages!"

"Just had to do some chores around the house" Gohan waved off. "My mom's just a really good cook. And she knows how to make a lot of it for me and my brother."

"You have a brother?" Videl asked.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, he's almost ten about now. Pretty energetic. Me and my mom sometimes have trouble keeping track of him, with how much he likes to run around."

"What about your dad?" Videl asked, noting that he hadn't mentioned him.

Gohan's face visibly fell a bit. "Oh, well, Dad hasn't been around for a while…"

Erasa gasped. "Oh, Gohan, I'm so sorry-"

"No, it's quite like that" Gohan waved his arms. "He's going to be back soon, he's just been unable to get back for a while."

"Oh" Erasa blushed as she realized how she had jumped to conclusions, even if it was the obvious one.

"You said that he'll be back soon?" Videl asked.

Gohan nodded. "In about one hundred and twenty five days" he said. He had been counting every day leading to the recharging of Porunga. Namek's balls took 130 days to recharge, and they had just been used five days ago in the battle with Kid Buu.

Videl blinked. "That's pretty specific" she said.

Gohan chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck again. "Yeah, well, I've been waiting for this for a while. I'm really excited that he'll be back with us soon, for good."

Talking about his father, Videl noticed a change in the facial expression of the young man. Gohan had always had a somewhat shy expression on his face, but talking about him, he morphed. He went from his shy face to one that was, surprisingly, extremely confident. Such a transformation from the Gohan she saw yesterday and today, it shocked her.

" _Is he faking his shyness, or is his father some sort of hero to him?"_ she wondered, knowing that the confidence displayed was definitely true. Just when it seemed she was learning something about him, it opened up further questions.

Of course, it was hard to keep questioning him when she was as hungry as she was and the food was as good as it was. Deciding to abandon pursuit for the moment, Videl joined the others in chowing on their food.

There was one thing that she couldn't help but notice, however. Whenever Gohan wasn't focused on conversation with someone, he seemed to regress, to just stare off into the distance, frowning in thought. He hadn't been like that yesterday. What had happened today to change his attitude?

* * *

After lunch, the group of four had gone back to the rest of their normal classes for the day. Ending on gym, where they played football, Gohan slipped up again. When he made a goal kick, the ball barely missed, and hit the goal post itself. The ball still barely spun through, but not before severely warping the large metallic structure, causing everyone to gape in shock once again. He claimed that he must have just hit a weak point on the post. Everyone seemed to buy that excuse. Except for one person.

" _Come on, you don't just have three miracles like that in two days"_ Videl thought, slightly aggravated. " _He acts like a nerd, but he hit a ball several fields away, jumped fifteen feet off of a fence, and dented the goal post by kicking a ball at it. Either this guy has the universe rooting for him, or there's something fishy going on."_

Changing back into their normal clothes following gym class, she and Erasa exited the locker rooms together. And Videl was about ready to cave.

"Come on, Videl, we haven't gone to the mall in forever" Erasa prodded.

For the second day in a row. "Because every time I go to the mall with you, it shaves a year off of the end of my life" she muttered beneath her breath. Even so, she knew that Erasa wasn't going to drop this. Videl had been putting off their next trip for over a month now. "Fine, if it'll get you to stop annoying me, I'll go this once."

Erasa's smile brightened. "Great!"

Videl already regretted it.

At that moment, Sharpner emerged from the men's locker room and noticed the two of them standing there. "Hey, what's going on, you two?" he asked.

"Videl's coming with me to the mall" Erasa said cheerfully.

Sharpner raised his eyebrows in shock, and looked at Videl. "You are a much braver person than I" he said, chuckling lowly. "Tell me how it go-"

"Oh no you don't" Videl growled, grabbing him by the shoulder as he made to turn away. "If I have to go, then you're going to come with us."

A look of fear entered Sharpner's eyes, and he shook his head violently. "Are you crazy?" he whispered. "I won't make it out of there alive."

"If a _girl_ can be dragged along for shopping and survive the experience, surely you can?" Videl asked, tickling his pride. The results were quite successful.

Sharpner stopped struggling physically, but seemed to be having an internal struggle with himself, before sighing. "Fine…" he said dejectedly.

"That's what I thought" Videl smirked. "Oh Erasa, it looks like Sharpner's going to be coming with us as well" she announced.

"Against my will" he muttered beneath his breath.

"What was that, Sharpner?" Erasa asked.

A look from Videl kept him from repeating it. "I said 'sure I will'" he said shakily.

"Awesome" Erasa said, before striking a thoughtful look. "Hey, how about we invite Gohan too?" she offered.

"What?" Sharpner asked. "Why would we invite him?"

"He's new to this whole thing, no way to get to know new friends than a shopping trip" Erasa reasoned.

Videl thought about it, then nodded in consent. "Yeah, sure, let's invite him with us" she said. " _Maybe he'll tell us more outside of a school setting"_ she thought internally.

Sure enough, speak of the devil, the door opened again, and Gohan emerged, dressed in his school uniform. He stopped when he saw the three of them looking at him expectantly. "Oh, hey guys, what are you still doing here? School's over, isn't it?"

"We were waiting for you, silly" Erasa said. "Come on, we want to take you with us to the mall."

"The mall?" Gohan asked. "Why's that?"

Videl nearly facepalmed. Just how dense was this kid? He may have lived in the mountains, but he couldn't be completely unfamiliar to the real world. "Well duh, we're going there to hang out" Videl said.

"Oh, ok" Gohan said. "I'd like to go, but my mom's expecting me home, and I can't get home late."

"Then just call her" Erasa suggested.

"I, uh, don't have a phone" Gohan admitted. "And besides, I doubt she'd want me to be out and about very long." This part was a bit of a lie. He had a feeling she'd actually _want_ him to go to the mall, considering the main point of attending high school for him was to make new friends. However, he didn't quite feel up to it right then. He had barely met his new friends two days ago, Videl seemed as suspicious as ever, even if she was less agonizing about it today, and above all, his mood hadn't been great today ever since he thought back to the Cell Games earlier. It was 7 years ago, sure, and he had mostly moved past it. But that wasn't the kind of experience you have without hating it forever. "Maybe another time?"

"Oh, come on, you're seventeen, aren't you?" Sharpner asked. "You can't just go by everything your mom says forever. Come on, live a little."

It was now three on one against him, and Gohan felt his resolve to leave begin to crumble beneath the pleas of the three. He sighed in defeat. "I guess I could come for a little while."

"Sweet!" Erasa cheered. "Now we've got all four of us! Come on, let's go!"

Erasa led the group out of the school building, towards the street, the other three in tow. The day was fairly warm, so it was a nice walk. "How far away is the mall?" Gohan asked.

"At this pace, about ten minutes" Erasa answered. "Which means we should find something to talk about to pass the time. So, Videl, what was it this morning?"

"This morning? Just a pair of morons speeding down the road, nearly causing a few accidents along the way" Videl grumbled.

"Bet you put them in their place" Sharpner chuckled.

Videl frowned. "I didn't get the chance" she said.

"Wait, what?" Erasa asked.

"I was chasing them, but then, all of a sudden, some weird guy in a weird costume jumped in front of them and stopped the car in its tracks" Videl said, recalling the events from this morning.

Gohan frowned slightly. " _Hey, I didn't act weird!"_ he thought indignantly. " _And Bulma made that costume herself."_

"How'd he manage that?" Sharpner asked.

Videl took a moment to respond, noticing Gohan frown. " _What's wrong with_ him?" she wondered. "He just flew out of the sky and stood in front of the car. When it hit him, it was like it struck a metal pole. It just stopped, did some pretty nasty damage to the hood."

"Wait, he _flew?_ " Erasa asked. "Who was he, how'd he do that?"

"He had some dorky name, Great Saiyaman, whatever that means" Videl shrugged. "And how else? He's just another trickster."

That was it for Gohan. Even as part of the cover that kept him and his family out of the limelight, he _hated_ having the skills and power he had worked his entire life for be waved off as a trick. "You know, not everything has to be just a trick" he noted with an even voice. "Just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean it's fake."

Videl shot a glare at Gohan. "Oh, and I guess you know something about that?" she asked accusingly.

" _Choose your words carefully, Gohan"_ Gohan told himself.

"Not personally" he lied. "However, my dad was pretty big into martial arts when I was younger, and I learned some things about an old trainer, called Master Roshi." Ok, maybe his dad was more than _pretty big_ into martial arts, and it wasn't just when he was younger, but it worked. "Apparently, Roshi had developed an energy wave a long time ago, back before technology was good enough to fake something like that." He wasn't quite sure how long ago Master Roshi had mastered the Kamehameha Wave technique, but he was pretty sure that it was before the age of any machinery that could be used to even produce the light, let alone the explosion. "And if it was real back in his day, who's to say that it can't be real now?"

Videl had heard about the legendary Master Roshi in the past. He was a revered martial arts master that hadn't been seen in many years. She made a mental note to do some spare research on him later, to see just how much of what Gohan was talking about was legit. "Let's say that even that was true" Videl said. "What do exploding lights have to do with people flying?"

"All I said was that just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it's a trick" Gohan repeated. "If the Kamehameha Wave was a legitimate technique, who's to say that it's impossible that there are people that can fly?" He was too into the argument to realize that he just mentioned the attack by name.

"Scientists, for one" Videl shot back. "It's physically impossible for people to fly without assistance from jetpacks and the like."

"Just like making an exploding ball out of nothing is physically impossible?" Gohan asked.

"That was fake too" Videl countered.

Gohan groaned internally. " _I don't think even_ Cell _was this stubborn when he was trying to get me to transform."_ "Fine, you know what, I'll let you be as ignorant as you want to be" he muttered beneath his breath.

Videl glared at him. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean?!" she growled dangerously.

Erasa and Sharpner were now watching the exchange between the two a little fearfully. Gohan had no idea what he was getting into if he continued to poke and prod at Videl.

"I mean I'm trying to use some of my knowledge to open your mind up to possibilities, but you're too busy insisting that your version of reality is correct and there is no other possibility for anything else to be correct to see just how close-minded you are" Gohan explained. He may have come off a little brash, but he didn't know how else to explain it. He wasn't used to people being so stubborn as to not even consider another possibility, except in the cases of enemies like Frieza refusing to accept that they aren't the strongest in the universe. And he didn't want to think of Videl as an enemy.

Videl laughed cruelly. "Come on, mountain boy, I doubt you know any more than me, being isolated your entire life" she said. "How can you tell me how the world works when your world consists of your house and a field?"

Gohan wanted _so_ badly to just tell her that he's seen more in his seventeen years then she'll see in the remainder of her life. But he doubted he'd be believed. Not wanting to continue the argument any further, he turned away from Videl, waving her off. It may not have stung much, but that last jab was made to deliberately try and insult him. He wasn't sure he wanted to keep going with them anymore.

But, he did it anyways.

* * *

The group was stony silent for the rest of the trip to the mall. To the others, it seemed like Gohan had been hurt by what Videl had said. As wrong as they were, that's what it appeared to be.

Videl felt slightly guilty, but her anger rationalized her participation. " _Who is he to tell me that I know nothing of the world?"_ she thought. But she couldn't shake off what she said. She also couldn't shake off just how truthful he seemed when he was talking. She had always been a pretty good judge of the validity of what people were saying. Gohan was being evasive the first day at school. But today, in that entire debate, she hadn't gotten a single note of false claims from him. He really believed in what he was talking about.

Things cleared up a bit at the mall. They had a good time. Well, Erasa did, anyways. She and Sharpner felt like dying, while Gohan just looked uncomfortable.

They spent a good hour and a half hanging out there, going into various stores, and stopping by the food court for a snack. Pretty soon, though, Gohan said that he had _really_ better be getting back to his home, and cut out of the group. The rest of them took it as that was the time for them to head their own separate ways for the day as well.

Videl flew off back to her home. Greeting her father and Buu, she went upstairs and immediately opened up her internet browser. "Alright, let's see what you've got for me" she muttered, as she typed the words "master roshi" into the search box.

She got immediate results, pages and pages of information detailing a fighting style called the Turtle School, lists of famous martial artists that trained under him, and of course, information about him himself.

She was shocked to say the least when according to the article, he was born over three hundred years ago, and had recent activity to boot. Twenty years ago, he had come out of hiding, and trained a group of new students.

Scrolling through the page, she found the key point she was looking for. Indeed, it was stated that about one hundred years ago, the ancient master was said to have mastered a technique of his own creation, coined the Kamehameha Wave.

" _Gohan knew that name"_ she remembered. " _He knew the exact name of the technique."_ It didn't seem likely, but he did. The wave was barely mentioned, only that he had mastered it as a form of combat technique. There were pictures, poor quality, but there, of a world martial arts tournament battle, several tournaments ago, that showed the master shooting what appeared to be a beam of light. That didn't prove anything. False information could be put on webpages. Pictures could be photoshopped. This proved nothing.

" _Gohan seemed really adamant about it, though"_ Videl thought. " _Why would he be so insistent that these things could be possible?"_ She frowned deeper, remembering his own frowns earlier. " _He seemed almost offended. But why would he take offense unless… It was personal?"_

Gohan had been defending this Saiyaman character a lot, and he used an old article he had read as backup to his claim. He appeared to be grasping at straws, but for what? Could he have a connection with that strange man?

Her eyes widened. "Hold on a second" she breathed. Over the past two days, Gohan had accomplished amazing physical feats. He claimed it all to be luck, but what if it was something else? And not only that, but it was the day after Gohan began attending their little school that this new crime fighter appeared. "Could that nerd really be Great Saiyaman?"

That would certainly explain why he had been so reclusive ever since he arrived. Both of them had arrived in the city around the same time, and even if Gohan claimed it was just luck, he had done some peculiar things.

But all this was was circumstantial evidence. Not even compelling stuff, at that. Jumping to the protection of tricksters and correlating arrival times meant nothing. Besides, she had barely gotten a look at the Saiyaman character yet. But if it did fit…

Videl leaned back and looked at the ceiling again. "It looks like I've got some work to do" she muttered. She had a duty to protect Satan City, after all, and a vigilante hero could be a threat. Unmasking him was her duty.

And Gohan was her prime suspect.

* * *

Gohan soared high above the clouds, coming up around the large platform that hung high above the Earth below. He approached the Lookout rapidly, darting up and setting down lightly on the tiled surface. He looked around, initially not seeing anyone, but then heard a voice behind him.

"You know, it's going to take some getting used to" the gruff voice spoke. "I recognize you perfectly, but your power is so high, every fiber of my being tells me to prepare for an enemy every time you come near."

Gohan smiled as he turned on the spot and looked up into the face of his mentor. Piccolo cracked his own grin. "How's high school, kid?"

"What? How'd you know I was in high school?" Gohan asked.

"Do you forget who he lives up here with?" another voice, this one lighter and much more cheerful, spoke from a small ways across the Lookout. Turning back around, Gohan's smile broadened as Dende and Mr. Popo walked up. "What's the point of being Kami if I don't use it to stay up to date on my friends?"

"I probably should have guessed" Gohan chuckled, walking up to meet Dende and enveloping his childhood friend in a hug. "How did things look from up here?"

"I wouldn't survive that place, and not just because I'm more obviously alien than you" Dende said solemnly. "I'm a bit surprised that one sharing Mr. Satan's blood could be so darn intelligent. She's already suspecting you of being Saiyaman."

"What?! How?!" Gohan was shocked. "I literally only saw her once, and acted nothing like I do as myself there."

Dende shrugged. "She's an expert at connecting dots, already took some facial expressions when she mentioned your alter ego and your defending the possibility of the unknown. Now she plans to unmask the Saiyaman."

"Aw, man, already?" Gohan groaned.

"You picked quite a persistent one as your friend, Gohan" Piccolo chuckled at Gohan's misfortune.

Gohan sighed, and stretched his arms. "Well, I'm sure I can avoid giving her any hints as to who I am. I mean, maybe if this had been before Buu, I might have had slightly more trouble. But with all my power under my control, I doubt she'd get anywhere near me."

"Yeah, I'll have to agree with you on that one" Dende nodded. "Anyways, did you just come up to say hi?"

"Partly" Gohan admitted. "I also needed a bit of info from you, if it's possible, Dende."

"Yeah, sure thing" Dende nodded.

"Alright" Gohan said. "I have a project where we need to research the Cell Games. Obviously, I can't give them all the straight facts, like the fact that the man they think won wasn't even a fraction of his power. I was hoping you might know exactly how the world thinks the Cell Games went down, so I'd be able to work off of that?"

"That all?" Dende asked. "Simple enough. Sit down, I'll tell you the, ah, _revised edition_ of the Cell Games."

"Awesome. Thanks, Dende" Gohan said gratefully, crossing his feet on the ground.

Dende nodded and kneeled down himself. "You know they think Mr. Satan won already. Well, here's what they think went down leading up to that…"

* * *

 **Friday**

* * *

His visit with the young Guardian of the Earth turned out to be just what he needed to do their project. With all the information that the world held, he was able to revise his own experience enough to create some believable evidence on the matter. It took about half an hour to 'get all of his research done.'

True enough to the warning he had received from the two Namekians, Videl seemed to be even more interrogative than normal. She was so focused on finding out his secrets, she sometimes managed to catch him off guard. He nearly jumped out of his skin one day, when she grabbed his arm from around the corner, and came dangerously close to pressing the special button on his Saiyaman Watch.

It was also a little harder than he expected to keep correlational evidence down. Sure, any crimes that took place before school or afterwards, he could easily get away without anyone being the wiser. However, Videl got quite a few calls over the next few days, and Gohan's finely tuned senses could easily tell that these situations were far too much for normal humans to handle. He often disappeared from class under the guise of going to the bathroom, for very long periods of time. Her suspicions only seemed to grow.

Of course, over those few days, he learned that he had woefully underestimated her. While he saved her from fatal injuries several times, she didn't often need saving. Even when engaging armed groups, weaponless herself, she fared quite well. It was somewhat upsetting, how she seemed to only get angry at his assistance. She had also attempted several times to coerce him into revealing himself. He politely refused before jumping out a window.

Classes were easy for him. He liked his group of friends, even if Videl found ways to make life of the most powerful man on Earth difficult. Life actually wasn't too bad. Here he was, approaching the end of his first week, and he was surprised to find that he was actually enjoying his high school experience.

Managing to get through a game of soccer without any further superhuman stunts, Gohan walked off the field with the rest of the class to where Coach Axe had called them over. He seemed to have an announcement for all of them.

"Alright, now listen up, kids" Coach Axe said, getting the attention of them. "You may remember back on Monday, I told you we'd be having a week of games before we get into our next major unit?" Some of the class nodded, while others looked confused, not remembering the announcement. "Well, that unit starts on Monday. After recent events have been taken into consideration, we've gotten the cooperation of a very well-certified individual to give this class a good self-defense and martial arts unit."

" _Martial arts?"_ Gohan wondered. " _That's gonna be a little too easy, I'd say. Although…"_ he frowned. " _If I'm trying to fly under the radar, having some fighting skills is going to blow it for me."_ His body took care of a lot of his fighting for him with his razor-sharp reflexes.

"Now, I assume you're all wondering who would be doing this?" Axe continued. "Well, that's simple, really. You see, growing up in this city, its mascot is really going to want to make sure you kids are all safe out there."

"Mascot?" Gohan murmured out loud. " _Oh no…"_ his inner voice said, horrified. " _It's all over."_

"Starting Monday, we've got world champ, Hercule Satan coming here to whip you all into shape" Coach Axe confirmed his fears.

Gohan's groans were lost in the sea of awed gasps coming from the rest of the class. " _Mr. Satan knows me"_ he thought. " _This is bad, this is very,_ very _bad. What's he gonna do when he sees me? What's going to happen?"_

"Now that's all for today. Get your little bohonkuses out of here, and have a good weekend while you're at it" Axe flashed one last smile, before walking off the field.

The rest of the class immediately began buzzing with excitement at the thought of being taught by Hercule. Gohan was the only one to just step away from the rest of the class and wander back inside, contemplating the oncoming Monday with dread.

He didn't realize, that he wasn't the only one unhappy about the announcement.

* * *

 **Finished up yet another chapter. This one, I don't feel like it was my best work. However, that's mainly because this was a lot of jumping around. A lot of what I jumped over is basically the Saiyaman Saga, even if a lot is left out. I figured you didn't want to to rewrite the entire thing, so I skipped a few days.**

 **You can breath a bit easier. Gohan's a bit older, a bit more mature in this story. He'll still have the same corny heroic lines, but he's no longer taking a leaf out of Captain Ginyu's book every time he arrives.**

 **Now, I've heard some complaints about my explanation of Gohan's Super Saiyan self. Let me explain what I comprehend about the form, and how things are working here.**

 **Gohan's unlock allows him to push his body to his absolute limits with ease. The Super Saiyan transformation multiplies base power to extend higher. However, there is a cap, being Super Saiyan 3, the maximum power the body can put out. It's kinda like this. Kaioken is a shaky increase. Super Saiyan is more stable, but 3 is less so. Potential Unleashed is a stable 3.**

 **Super Saiyan is incompatible with his potential power, just because it's a different form. He has his basic power, but any time he extends past his Super Saiyan boundaries, he taps into potential power, which don't work at the same time as a Super Saiyan forms. Kinda how Super Saiyan God was incompatible with normal Super Saiyan in Battle of Gods. But it's different here. It's a matter of boundaries. Gohan's body has a limit to how much power it can handle. He caps at full unlock. If he somehow merged Super Saiyan with his power… Well, he would have too much body for his body to handle, resulting in some adverse effects. This doesn't mean he's at his peak. He can continue to increase his maximum output at full power/Super Saiyan 3 by training his body to make it stronger, just like any other scenario.**

 **But enough of that. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well. What will the next chapter bring? What will Hercule do when he sees Gohan? How far will Videl advance in her investigation? Does anyone get the reference I'm making with the coach's name? All to be answered soon.**

 **I'll go ahead and wrap things up by responding to reviews.**

 **Guest - the Earth was restored to its condition prior to Buu, which meant the Chamber was intact again. And it is a much simpler matter of upgrading it than it is rebuilding it.**

 **TaitanoRules555 - Bee is with Buu, Hercule, and Videl. He's been mentioned.**

 **Lancecomwar - I'm still considering Lime, and no, this won't be just highschool stuff. I have something planned fairly soon here that I am quite happy about being able to do. A certain idea that popped into my head, that works with the timeline this story follows.**

 **Jalen johnson - hey man, good to see you over here too! This thing has been a blast to write so far, sure enough. Gohan's losing Super Saiyan temporarily isn't really related to Joined Worlds in any way (and keep in mind how scrubbish I was starting that story. Ignore the USSJ2 in Soleanna, that literally makes less than no sense looking back at it). For now, street punks, but other types of fights soon, don't you worry.**

 **I.C.2014 - no, I felt the same. I loved Saiyaman, cringey poses and all, but it was a bit much sometimes**

 **0 Jordinio 0 - I'm going with a hesitant maybe. If this story stretches to Battle of Gods, it'll be difficult to diverge from the canon anymore, considering how the events, and how Videl is married to Gohan and everything by that point. As for the rest of it, I explained my understanding of the canon a bit above. I'm not sure what you mean about my dialogue, but I'll try to avoid that**

 **Risa Silvara - yeah, I wasn't sure I could handle writing in the poses. I feel a bit the same. For the purpose of him being slightly more mature, he's basically the same, but he's no longer Ginyu 6. He can still grow, but I kinda answered everyone's problems like that above. He can improve his body, but Super Saiyan with his unlocked power won't be his jump. I have a plan as to how he'll keep moving, anyways.**

 **That's about all for now, guys. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you did, please drop a review on the way out if you will, and until next time, I'm signing out. Cya all then!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok, guys, I love writing this story so much, I have writer's block on all my other stories. Good news, that means you get another chapter here!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3 - Fight Day**

* * *

"So not only is his daughter hounding me because she can basically smell that I'm hiding something, now Hercule himself is coming to school today" Gohan muttered as he floated through the air. "And that man can't act to save his life. I should know. I was there when he needed to act to save his life."

He facepalmed. "I knew I had a bad feeling about going to school. Everything seems to be on a mission to be a pain for me."

Satan City appeared on the horizon, and Gohan sighed and brought his watch up. Clicking the button, the static energy crackled across his body as he disguised himself in his Saiyaman suit. The last thing he needed was for someone to see Son Gohan flying through the air. He didn't need things to be any worse than they already were.

Speeding up, he tried to think positively to cheer himself up. "Look on the bright side, Gohan, you're smart enough and fast enough that there shouldn't be any way for Videl to catch you." She already had a pretty strong suspicion, courtesy of him defending the techniques of his family and friends. How she was able to connect the dots like that, he had no idea. "Besides, maybe Hercule won't notice you. It's a big class, after all, and maybe he won't remember as much because of all the stress."

Feeling like things were a little less bleak for him, Gohan sped up, and in a second, was floating over the top of the center of the city. His first class wasn't for another fifteen minutes, so he had some time to be on patrol. Sure, nothing in the city could hurt him in the slightest, but he still felt more comfortable when nothing bad was happening.

Looking around the city, he didn't notice much that morning. Off a ways away, there were a few people driving at some pretty high speeds, too dangerous for the roads. They weren't going as fast as the joyriders from his first day as Saiyaman, but still a safety hazard. However, as he approached, they slowed way down. He suspected they saw him coming, though, after one driver stuck his head out the window and glanced his way briefly. It appeared he was already making a reputation for himself in the city, if his presence could inspire such authority. Of course, it was probably more due to fear. He wasn't trying to inspire fear, but powers such as his own tended to bring about such feelings.

He spent a couple more minutes hovering around the city, keeping a sharp eye out for trouble, but everything else seemed rather calm. Satisfied that nothing else seemed wrong, he took off for Orange Star High, ready to get to class. Everything seemed okay to him.

And he was in such a rush, that he didn't bother to use his other senses, otherwise, he may have noticed an odd energy in the city, one rather high by human standards.

* * *

Making sure the coast was clear, Gohan deactivated his suit and rushed down into the classroom. He managed to make it inside the door a few seconds before the bell rang, and he let out a breath of relief.

" _Maybe I should leave patrol just a bit earlier, just to take a bit of the pressure to make it on time off"_ he thought.

Walking up the stairs, he dropped his bag and took a seat next to Erasa and Sharpner. Unsurprisingly, Videl had yet to arrive. Sometimes, it appeared that she had worse problems with arriving on time than he did. Of course, she had an actual job doing this, without the powers to boot, so it made sense.

"Oh, hey Gohan, how was your weekend?" Erasa asked him as he took his spot.

"Huh?" Gohan asked. "Oh, it was good. Yours?"

"It was great" Erasa smiled. "Really relaxing, like it should be, after all."

"Here here" Sharpner agreed. "I think I'd go mad without a break from this place every week. I like it here and all, but sometimes it's a little much."

"Oh, I know how you feel" Gohan agreed.

"What do you mean, Brains?" Sharpner ased. "You're acing every class with ease, how could anything be too much for you, of all people."

Gohan shrugged noncommittally. "Eh" he said, staying vague.

"Probably with how much Videl is drilling him for every little fact about him, I wouldn't be surprised with that kind of pressure on" Erasa offered.

" _Hit the nail on the head there"_ Gohan thought dejectedly. "Yeah, I know she doesn't mean much by it, it's just a bit difficult to deal with, ya' know?"

Erasa rolled her eyes. "'Do I know?' Gohan, please, you're talking to her best friend for about half her life. Trust me, I know. And if it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one she's ever picked on like this."

Gohan raised his eyebrows. "Really?" he asked.

Erasa gave the 'so-so' sign. "Well, I've never seen her go at anyone this hard, but she's drilled other people in the past."

Gohan sighed. "Well, I'll be fine, anyways. I'm getting used to it."

At that moment, the door opened up. He could sense who it was before they even made themselves known. "Speaking of which…" he said beneath his breath.

Videl walked into the classroom. "Sorry I'm late, Mrs. Jayden" she said.

"That's quite alright, Videl, please take your seat" the teacher responded.

Videl nodded and headed up the walkway, coming down the aisle and taking her seat near her friends. "Hey, 'morning guys" she greeted briefly.

"Good morning, Videl" Erasa said cheerfully.

Sharpner put on a cocky smile. "So, how've you been doing? You ready for today's gym class?"

"Ugh" was Videl's response as she smacked her head on the desk. "Are you kidding? Would you want _your_ dad to come in and parade around the school? Really now?"

"Uh…" Sharpner couldn't fight back against the argument. "Alright, fair enough, but he's still the World Champ. Even for you, that's gotta be cool, right?"

"Wrong" Videl said. "Be with him every day for your entire life and see if you care about his 'World Champion'-ness as much anymore after that. Being related to the equivalent of royalty isn't as fun as you might think."

"Royalty?" Gohan asked.

"Might as well be with how much everyone worships him" Videl groaned. She sat up straight and stretched her arms. "Well, my world doesn't end until sixth period, so I'm going to try and put that on hold for now. Don't we have a report to get started on, anyways?"

"Oh, yeah" Erasa remembered. "Did you get much info out of your dad last night?"

Videl shrugged. "I don't know how much of it he, well, let's be nice and call it _embellished,_ but I think I got the majority of the story out of him for the project."

"I did a little research, but there weren't many hard facts out there" Sharpner admitted. "At least not that I found on the internet."

"Yeah, well, let's mix and match our studies and try to fill in any holes" Videl offered. "Because as much as my dad talks a big talk, something tells me he left a lot about anything that didn't involve him out."

" _Yup, that sure sounds like Hercule, alright"_ Gohan chuckled inwardly. "I got my fair share of research done last night too" he said out loud.

Videl nodded his way. "Ok, Erasa, did you get a chance to look at anything?"

"Sorry, Videl, I didn't get very long to look, so I don't have anything today" Erasa apologized.

"That's alright, we have a few weeks to do this project for a reason after all" Videl said understandingly. "Come on, let's lay everything we learned out on the table, and decide how we're going to do this…"

* * *

 **Satan Manor**

* * *

"Gettin' ready to whip some kids into shape, do-do-do" Mr. Satan whistled as he prepared himself for his class later that day. "This ought to be great for them, getting to meet the World Champ and learning some of his world-class techniques oughta keep this generation safe, heh heh heh."

Slipping on his brown gi, he contented himself with practicing a few of his flashier moves. "Now, what move they probably like to see most? Gotta wow them to get their attention, after all… Maybe a Megaton Punch, yeah… Wait, no…" he had a sudden vivid flashback of the last Megaton Punch he used. It kinda killed his liking for the attack. "Er, maybe the Dynamite Kick, then, that's always a crowd pleaser, yeah!"

Taking stance, he began lashing his foot forward ferociously, keeping his balance as he struck out at the open air. "Yeah, perfect, they'll love it!" he said, smirking to himself. "In fact, maybe this week of demonstration will convince more of them to come to the Satan Gym, and we can have a whole generation of world-class fighters out there. I'm helping make the world a better place by doing this, yes I am."

He retracted his foot once again, and prepared to let it fly with even more power than before. "Dyyyynaaaaaamiiiiiite…" he growled. "K-"

"HERCULE!"

"ICK-YAH!?" Hercule kicked out with enough force to break concrete, but his concentration was shattered. The force carried him off his other foot, and he fell over backwards, cracking his head against the floor as the air escaped his lungs.

He lied on the floor, completely frozen in shock for a brief moment, eyes wide and mouth open wide enough to catch a softball. Then, his control came rushing back to him.

"Yeowch!" Hercule cried out, clutching the back of his head in pain. "Son of a-, grr, motherless, gah!"

He silently swore for a few more moments, venting his frustration, before attempting to compose himself. "C-coming" he grunted out. He felt the back of his head tenderly. Yup, that was going to leave a bump. Walking out of the room, he made his way towards the living room, where sure enough, Buu was situated. "Yes, Buu?" he asked.

Buu looked up at Mr. Satan. "Is Hercule okay?" he asked concernedly.

"Oh, I just slipped and bumped my head" he grunted out, the spot still throbbing.

"Buu help!" Buu said, standing up and making his way over to Hercule in a blink of an eye.

"Hey, what are you-?" he began to ask, when all of a sudden, a soft pink light emerged from Buu's hands, and the throbbing rapidly faded. He remembered, Buu was able to heal people, after all. "Oh, thanks Buu" he said gratefully.

"It no problem for Buu, Buu happy to help Hercule!" Buu said cheerfully.

"Well, I am very thankful for that, Buu. Now, uh, what did you want?" he asked.

"What Buu want?" Buu asked. "Oh, yes, Buu remember. Buu was feeling bored, wanted to play. Can Mr. Satan play?"

"Oh, yeah, I should be able to play" Hercule said. Buu was trapped here for a long while anyways, might as well help him feel better. "What did you want to play? We've got Chess, Satan Fighter, Sorry. Twister might be a bit too easy for you…"

"Buu know what Buu want to play" Buu said.

"Oh, what is it?" Hercule asked.

"Buu want to play Pow-Pow! Can Hercule play Pow-Pow with Buu?" Buu asked.

"Pow-Pow?" Hercule asked. "What's that?"

"Pow-Pow!" Buu said energetically, smacking his fists into each other and pumping them in the air.

Hercule went white as a sheet, eyes open wide. "Oh, Pow-Pow…" he said as he realized what Buu meant.

Buu smiled. "So can Hercule play Pow-Pow?" he asked.

Hercule blinked, as he thought quickly. "Uh, well, you see, Buu, Pow-Pow takes a long time to play, it's not something that we can just do real quick, and I have somewhere I need to be really soon here, you see? So, right now, I can't exactly play Pow-Pow."

"Oh, ok" Buu said, looking a little down. "So, what else can Buu play?"

"Er…" Mr. Satan thought. "Oh, hey, I know. What if you could play a game where it was like you were playing Pow-Pow, but didn't need anyone else to fight?"

"Oh?" Buu asked.

Buu had a tiny bit of experience knowing how to play a video game from that time he first met Hercule, so he wasn't completely unfamiliar when Hercule put a remote in his hands. "So, this game lets you play like you're fighting, but you're making someone fight instead of you."

"Oh?" Buu asked.

Hercule pressed a button on the television, and the game popped up on the screen. "People just call this game Smash, mostly" Hercule explained.

Buu smiled. "Buu like that name. Smash! Smash!"

"So, if you go here, you can get told how to play, and then you can keep doing Pow-Pow as many times as you want, get it?" Hercule asked.

Buu's smile grew. "As much as Buu wants? That sounds fun!"

"It is" Hercule said. "Anyways, have fun, Buu, because right now, I've got to go, alright?"

"Ok, Buu see Hercule later" Buu said.

"I'll try not to be gone for too long" he promised, before stepping out the door, outside.

He took a deep breath of the warm, fresh air, before sighing. "That game might keep Buu happy for a while, but not forever. Oh man, I wish I could go back and get the phone number of one of those guys with the powers. They'd probably be able to let Buu have fun." He frowned. "Well, who knows, maybe I'll have enough fighter games to entertain Buu for the next six months?" It was wistful thinking, but that was all he had at this point.

"Well, Buu's happy right now, and that's all that matters" Hercule shrugged. "For now, I've got some teenagers to whip into shape. Yeah!"

And just like that, he was back in his world.

* * *

 **Orange Star High School**

* * *

They had made surprisingly good progress on the project in that first period. They got a general guideline of everything that they'd have to do, and what kind of project they'd be making. At this rate, they'd be done in the next week, and not have to worry about it anymore until presentation time.

The next two classes went about as well as they did normally, and then it was lunch time. Gohan pulled the capsule that held his lunch out of his pocket, and turned to go make his way back up to the roof, when a voice called out over the hubbub and made itself clear.

"Gohan, aren't you going to come join us?" Erasa's voice rang out.

Blinking, Gohan turned around, and sure enough, the trio that were his friends stood there, looking at him expectantly. "Come on, you can't just isolate yourself on the roof each period. Come join us!"

"Oh, er…" Gohan stuttered. Thinking about it, he really had no reason to not join them. Well, besides proximity to Videl without a task distracting them would probably lead to intense verbal probing. " _Although, she'll probably corner me some other time, anyways. Eh, what the heck?"_ "You know what, alright, sure thing, guys."

Erasa gave a huge smile at his agreement, and waved him to follow them. The group of now four made their way through the cafeteria, and out the doors to the yard, picking a nice table that was sitting in the sunlight. Each of them picking a corner, they sat down and sat down their lunches, except Gohan, who was fiddling with the capsule in his hand.

Videl noticed that Gohan was the only one without food in front of him. "Forget your lunch today?" she asked.

Gohan shook his head. "Nah, I just didn't want to crowd the table."

"Oh, just relax, Gohan. It'll be fine" Erasa said.

Gohan smiled. "Alright then" he said, bringing his capsule up. Clicking the button, he lightly tossed it onto his corner of the table. A large puff of smoke followed, and as it cleared, the other three's eyes bulged.

They knew Gohan ate a lot. They saw several containers around him about a week ago when they found him on the roof. But most of those were empty and scattered. So it didn't really register just _how much food_ Gohan had packed.

"What are you, a condensed family?" Sharpner asked. "This is like a feast for six people, right here."

Gohan rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "What can I say? I eat a lot and have a fast metabolism. That's about all there is to it." No need to attribute those two biological factors to being half Saiyan.

"Geez, I guess" Videl muttered.

Gohan grabbed a tupperware container that was close to the top of the stack and opened it up, beginning to tear into it. The food inside was gone in about thirty seconds. This wasn't noticed as much, since the other three had started eating their own meals, but they still saw it, and they still couldn't believe it.

"So…" Videl started as she neared finishing her meal. "Saiyaman seems to be nearly taking over the city."

"What do you mean by 'taking over'?" Erasa asked.

"I mean that there's less and less people out there causing trouble, because they all fear Saiyaman" Videl growled.

"Um, I might be missing something, but isn't it a good thing if Saiyaman is causing crime to go down?" Gohan offered.

" _There he is defending Saiyaman again"_ Videl noted. "Yeah, sure, but I'm out there doing things by the book. He's just some vigilante that comes swooping in when he feels like it. For all I know, he could be a serious threat to the city."

"Please, a serious threat in _that_ outfit?" Sharpner asked. "I've seen the pictures. I doubt a criminal mastermind or anything like that would wear something that goofy."

Gohan frowned subconsciously. " _Why does everyone hate the costume? It's amazing!"_

"So far, I've only learned a few things about this Saiyaman character" Videl said sharply. "He's a vigilante crime fighter, and he uses tricks. I've also noted when he seems to be active. You see, Saiyaman only shows up at crimes that take place before 8 A.M., from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M., and strangely enough, any crime I get called out to during school hours." She shot a sideways looks at Gohan which made his blood run cold. "Those are some pretty coincidental times. He only knows about crimes that seem to take place right before and right after the school schedule, and otherwise, he appears at ones that I specifically get called out for."

Gohan didn't stop eating his lunch, but his innards churned uncomfortably at Videl's words. " _How in HFIL is she so good at connecting the dots like this?!"_ he groaned internally. " _What, can she read minds? Does she have Baba's crystal ball?"_

"So you have a better understanding about which crime scene's he'll show up to?" Erasa asked. "What do you plan to do?"

"I'm still working on that" Videl admitted. "But soon. I promised that I'd unmask this Saiyaman person."

" _Yeah, you promised alright. Going on eight times now."_ It seemed to be the pattern that should he show up to help with a crime while Videl was present, then she would yell that she'd discover who he was as he flew off.

"And you know, there's something else that I can't shake about Saiyaman" Videl noted. "It's weird, that out of every day that Satan City has stood, we get a wannabe superhero here the day after we get a particular new student." This time, the glare lasted a bit longer.

"What are you looking at me for?" Gohan said as innocently as he could. "I once heard a saying, 'truth is stranger than fiction.' It's probably just a coincidence."

"Mm hm" Videl huffed, not remotely convinced. " _Sooner or later, you're going to slip. Everyone does."_

"You think that-" Sharpner began to say, before a clear ringing sound overtook the table. All eyes were drawn to Videl's wrist, as her communicator watch began to go off.

"Hold on, guys" Videl said, bringing her watch up and clicking the button. "What is it, chief?"

"Videl, we've got a situation here" the police chief said, not surprising her. "We just got told that some guy walking into City Hall, and he's going for the mayor, knocking everyone out who gets in his way. None of our guys are able to stop him. We need your help."

" _An entire police force can't stop one guy? Sheesh…"_ Videl thought. "Alright, I'll be right there, chief" she said, cutting the communications. "Well, at least I got to finish my burger. For now, I've got a criminal to go stop." She shot one last knowing look at Gohan, before decapsulating her jet copter. "I'll try to be back by fourth period, but don't expect me." Hopping in, she took to the air, and flew off into the distance.

Gohan watched her go, and tried to relax. After that session, chances are, that he shouldn't follow, just to try and disprove her theory. He was about done with his lunch, anyways. "I can't believe that a teenager would just drop everything at a moment's notice to go stop crime" he said. Well, at least not a human teenager. He and his dad had been doing that for years.

"Yeah, well, Videl is no ordinary human, after all, she's got Mr. Satan's blood running through her."

" _Which means little to nothing"_ Gohan thought. Hercule may have been one of the strongest humans on the planet, but even the elderly Master Roshi greatly outpaced him. Had he learned Ki control, maybe he'd be around Roshi's level, but as it stood, good for a human, bad compared to anything that knew the slightest thing about energy.

Of course, none of his inner thoughts made it outside of his head. "Yeah, I guess" he shrugged.

"She's definitely the strongest female fighter in the world" Sharpner praised. "And she's up there as the top overall."

" _My mom's probably stronger"_ he noted, remembering that back in the old days, according to her, she was even able to keep up with his dad's adventuring. " _If not her, then 18 most definitely is."_

In the back of his mind, he kept a feeler out on Videl's energy. She was moving fast towards the center of the city, alright. " _Still, she's pretty good for a human that doesn't know about Ki"_ he noted. " _Whoever was the one who took out so many people, Videl can probably take him, no swe-"_

Gohan suddenly stood up straighter, as he felt another power. His brow furrowed, as he felt Videl moving right towards it. Through the thousands of energy signals in the city, there were very few that stood out. As odd as it was, Buu's power was sensable. Videl, he was keeping a specific eye on. Besides that, no one else should be discernable.

Except the new power. He had little doubt that that was the criminal Videl was leaving to face. And a sense of dread settled in as he began to recognize that energy.

" _This goes against every moral I uphold, everything I believe in, but I have no choice"_ he thought determinedly.

Curling up, he hugged his torso and began to groan. "Hrk!" he grunted.

"Gohan? What's wrong?" Erasa asked.

"I think I've got a pretty bad stomach ache" he grunted, trying to sound like he was in pain. "I, I must have eaten too fast today."

"Too fast, or too much" Sharpner muttered.

Pressing the button on his capsule, Gohan took care of all the containers that had held his lunch. "I'll be back, I really need to go to the bathroom, I think" he told them, standing up a bit straighter and running off into the building.

Once he was out of sight, in the hall, he let go of his body, and huffed. " _I feel so, dunno, weird, using the Hercule Evasion Special."_ He kept running to the roof, but began to chuckle as he remembered Hercule's fake ache on the World of the Kais. He had seen the battle from the Lookout, and remembered how Hercule collapsing and begging saved him from several consecutive fatal attacks.

Reaching the roof, though, his laughter was gone, and he donned his serious face. Wasting no time, he hit the button on his watch, and waited a brief second as the green tunic overtook him.

Now donned in his Saiyasuit, Gohan wasted no time blasting off from the top of the building, and went after Videl. " _She has no idea what she's getting into this time!"_

* * *

 **City Hall**

* * *

Videl landed out front, where the police chief was waiting for her. "He's inside?" she said briefly.

The chief nodded. "Be careful, Videl, he took out several guards and officers with ease."

Videl huffed. "Trust me, I've got this" she assured him, before running inside.

The second she walked through the doors, the atmosphere changed. Hearing it was one thing. Seeing all the bodies across the floor was another. She could only hope that they were _only_ knocked out, and not… Otherwise. There were some nasty bruises forming.

"Okay, what kind of psychopath did this?" she muttered as she ran up the hall, trying to find her way to the mayor's office.

She didn't even need to go that far. There was a single open door in the hall, and she skidded to a stop as she saw inside.

It was obviously the main hall. There were rows of seating for the legislature, but only two people were up inside. At the end of the room, back against the windows, the mayor, and in front of him…

It was a tall man. Draped in a pink cloak, a dark blue undershirt beneath it, he wore what appeared to be a metal helmet on his head. He also wore gauntlets over his hands.

"Hey freak!" Videl called out, rushing into the room.

The second figure turned around, and she skidded to a stop when she saw him from the front. As it turned out, the helmet was something a little more. It covered his entire head, save his nose and mouth. Where his eyes should be, two red lenses made an appearance instead.

"I've been called much worse by much older" the man said with a snarky tone. "I don't know who you are, but I promise you, you will be much better off if you just leave me to my job. Run along, little girl."

Videl gritted her teeth. If there was one thing she hated, it was being called a 'little girl.' "Listen here, whoever you are!" she said in a commanding tone. "You can't just tell Videl Satan to run along and let you do as you please. I suggest you come quietly, or else do you want me to make you?"

She couldn't explain it, but at that moment, she felt chills run down her spine. It almost seemed that the pressure in the room had increased to a physical level, and she wasn't the only one feeling it. Behind the metal man, the mayor appeared to be feeling whatever it was too.

She couldn't be sure, through the glasses, but the man almost seemed to be looking at her calculatingly. "Oh, the Satan name? It has been a long while since I have heard that one" he said. "Then that must mean, you're related to that buffoon who parades around the city, eh?"

"If you're talking about my dad, you shouldn't be taking him, or me, so lightly" Videl growled, trying to dispel whatever hung in the air.

"Oh, why pardon me, where are my manners?" the man said, standing up straight. "You've been so kind to label yourself, while I haven't given you my name. You may call me Mercenary Tao." He grinned cruelly.

"Who uses 'Mercenary' as a part of their title?" Videl asked.

"One who is an assassin by nature" Tao revealed.

"An assassin?!" Videl said in shock.

The cruel grin widened. "Yes. You've interrupted my work, you know, and I take none to kindly to those who do that. And you know, your father and I have history. Perhaps I can kill two birds with one stone."

Videl noted the extra emphasis on the word 'kill.' "Nice try, buster, but you can't get the better of me. After all, I'm Hercule's daughter. I can take anyone!"

"Naive fool" Tao said.

"Don't call me naive!" Videl shouted, rushing the mercenary. Halfway to him, she lept into the air, foot outstretched, aiming a flying kick at the man who had been so heinous.

With a simple motion, Tao sidestepped, causing the attack to completely miss. Not willing to be so easily outdone, Videl landed on the outstretched foot and twisted, bringing her other foot up in a single swift attack. It was such a quick maneuver, she was surprised when Tao lifted his hand and blocked the whole thing. He didn't even flinch as it connected with his forearm.

"You aren't too terrible for the spawn of that mundane wannabe" Tao backdoor complimented her. "Sadly, mediocre skills such as those will not save your life."

"Oh yeah?" Videl asked, quickly dropping her foot and going to sweep his legs out from under him. He evaded the attack by jumping into the air, exactly what Videl was counting on. Bringing her other foot around, she shot it up into the air, connecting with Tao's lower torso directly. She smirked as she made the contact.

Tao was sent flying backwards through the air. Videl had just landed a serious attack. Which was why she was surprised once again when he landed upright, looking none the worse for wear.

"Perhaps slightly above mediocre, but still poor" Tao said tauntingly. "Shall I show you a real attack?"

Before she had the chance to answer, Tao had moved right in front of her. She had barely seen him move. " _How is he so fast!?"_ she exclaimed internally.

Before her body could react, Tao had landed a backhand that sent her skidding away, dazed. Stars danced before her vision as she tried to refocus. As her vision cleared, she saw Tao above her, a long blade emerging from his arm.

Her eyes widened, and she rolled to the right, just as the blade impaled itself in the floor, right where she had been seconds before.

Her heartbeat quickened as she realized that this man wasn't bluffing. He truly meant to kill her on the spot. And the worst part? He was messing around with her. It didn't take someone as good at martial arts as her to tell that Tao was still holding back, like he didn't even need to go all out to outmatch her.

Standing up, Tao pulled the blade out of the ground, and retracted it back into his arm. Replacing his left hand on his wrist, he turned towards Videl. "You feel fear. Very good. This will make things much more satisfying."

Videl clutched her fists. The only good thing she could figure to come out of this situation was that during the chaos of the fight, the mayor was smart enough to slip away. Good. At least one of them would make it out okay.

"Now, I suppose I should end things before they get out of hand" Tao smirked, reaching over, and detaching his other hand this time. "Be proud. Out of all my targets, you've lasted the third longest."

Videl's eyes widened again as he aimed the empty space inside of his arm at her. An orange glow began to fill the small crevice, the heat it was radiating being felt from across the room. The pressure in the room seemed to grow again, and her body refused to respond to her commands.

"DODON RAY, FIRE!" Tao shouted, as the orange energy within his arm blasted forward, searing the carpet beneath it completely black as it barrelled down on Videl.

She tried with all her might to move out of the way, but she couldn't. She was completely paralyzed. Time seemed to slow as the beam drew near, and she shut her eyes tight as the orange light overwhelmed her vision.

She felt something slam into her body, sending her flying to the side. Her eyes snapped open, barely seeing enough to keep from slamming into the wall too hard, when she noticed someone standing in her spot.

"SAIYAMAN!" she shouted as he stood directly in the path of the Dodon Ray. The ray connected to the green-clad superhero, and the energy sprayed all around, as a resounding explosion filled the room.

The smoke was thick and sulfurous. Half of the room was completely blotted out by it. Videl had felt the force of the explosion, nothing could have survived that.

"Saiyaman… He…" Videl's voice broke, as she realized that the man, the one who had shown up in her city, the one who she had given nothing but grief over doing her job, had just saved her life, by sacrificing himself. To take the bullet meant for her.

"Hmmph, what a fool" Tao sighed, turning towards where Videl now laid. "What was the point in killing himself? All he did was delay the inevitable."

Eyes shining fiercely with tears, Videl glared at Tao. "You… You're not a man! You're a monster! You murder people, just to get a kick out of it! You, you deranged sicko!"

"Sticks and stones, little girl" Tao smirked. "Now then, where were we?"

"I believe that you were about to surrender and come quietly" a voice rang out of the smoke.

Immediately, the attention of both of the others in the room were snapped into the cloud of smoke from which the sound emerged. "What?!" Tao exclaimed in shock.

A white glove emerged from the cloud, and swiped away the darkness. A gust rippled through the room, as the smoke dissipated, and Saiyaman made himself visible. Besides soot in the palm of his glove, he looked absolutely no different than before.

"Saiyaman… You… You're alive?!" Videl said, inexplicably elated.

She couldn't see his eyes, but his smile was clear enough. "Miss Videl, you've seen me around the city. Did you really think something like that would take me down?"

"You… Who _are_ you?!" Tao demanded, facing back at Saiyaman.

Saiyaman shook his head. "Well, I guess I can't blame you for not recognizing me in this outfit, and all" he admitted. "Still, I never thought I'd catch you around here. One can hope that you would have seen the light, but I guess that was false hope, after all."

"What?!" Tao asked, confused.

Saiyaman crossed his arms. "It's too bad, really. If someone hired you to kill the mayor, it must have been really high paying. And now, this is the second time that I've kept you from completing your job."

"Second time? What are you-" Tao suddenly stopped, and began to sweat profusely. "N-n-n-no… It's, it's… It's-!"

"The justice fighter who single-handedly stopped you from killing a helpless old man with the same move you tried to use on my friend here?" Saiyaman said. "Yup! That's me."

"You, you're, you're his… You're _Goku's son!_ " Tao said in terror.

"You'd be correct" Saiyaman said. "And let's see, I am… Twice? No, Four, five, six, well, let's just ballpark and say I'm about ten times stronger than I was the last time we met."

Under the mask, Gohan pulsed energy out of his eyes, sending a light ki wave at Tao, staggering him backwards. That was all the assassin could handle.

Without another word, Tao turned and jumped out the window, shocking Videl. She ran to the window he jumped out of and looked down. They were only on the second story, but jumping out of a window…

She saw that Tao had grabbed one of the supporting pillars that were placed around the City Hall. He actually tore it out from the building, and threw it straight into the air, before leaping impossibly far and fast, landing on the pillar as it soared away. In moments, Tao had disappeared into the distance.

"Sorry about that, Miss Videl, I have a feeling you wanted to arrest him" Saiyaman said, catching her attention and causing her to turn back towards him. "However, while I could force him to come with us, there is no prison that I know of that would be able to hold him within. Don't worry, I doubt he'll be coming back to this city, in this lifetime, at least."

Videl blinked, and decided to trust Saiyaman's words. Whatever that Tao guy was, he was a living weapon. He would be able to bust out of any facility she could think of. Maybe it _was_ better for him to just be scared out of the city.

"You… You saved me" she said lamely. She was trying to thank him, but only ended up sounding dumb. She mentally slapped herself.

Saiyaman shook his head. "It was no problem, Videl" he said. "After all, it's what I do."

Videl, for once, didn't feel annoyed by Saiyaman's words. Instead, she actually felt rather grateful. Maybe it just took a life or death experience to see it, but maybe he wasn't just the wannabe hero that she thought he was.

At that moment, Saiyaman cocked his head to the side. "Oh, you're injured" he said.

"Huh?" Videl asked. "No I'm-" she stopped as the side of her head throbbed. With the adrenaline from the fight wearing off, she realized, that that backhand Tao had landed had hit a lot harder than she thought.

Saiyaman frowned. "I'm no healer, but you should probably get some ice on that as soon as possible" he said. "They already called medics to deal with Tao's victims out in the main area. I can bring you to them."

Her initial thought was to refuse any further help, but he didn't give her that chance. Picking her up by the shoulders, SAiyaman turned towards the window and jumped out of it.

Videl immediately panicked, but slowly stopped as she realized that they weren't plummeting. Rather, they were gently floating towards the ground below. In awe, she glanced around. " _There's literally no place to hide any sort of wires or anything"_ she realized. " _Saiyaman, he's_ actually _flying!"_

Saiyaman looped around the side of the building, landing back out front, where sure enough, several ambulances were parked. Setting down lightly, he let Videl to the ground. "I would stick around, but it would seem things are all wrapped up here, and I have places to be" he said. "Are you going to be okay, Miss Videl?"

Videl rolled her eyes. "It's not like it's a concussion, it's just gonna bruise a bit. I'll be fine."

Saiyaman smiled. "Very well then. If that's all, then I'll be off."

He turned in the air, and Videl steeled herself. "Wait, Saiyaman!" she said.

"Hm?" Saiyaman said, turning back around.

Videl took a deep breath. "I, I just wanted to say, thank you for saving my life."

Saiyaman chuckled. "No need to, Miss Videl. As I said, it's what I do."

Videl chuckled along with him, before her smile sharpened. "Just so you know, I still haven't given up on unmasking you. Just so we're clear."

"Nor would I expect you to" Saiyaman said. "Well, until the next crime!"

This time, he turned in the air, and shot skyward, a gust rolling over the entire court as he took off. Faster than even Tao had been, Saiyaman was out of sight.

* * *

 **Orange Star High School**

* * *

" _I'm just glad I got there in time"_ Gohan thought as he touched down. Videl may have been a bit hurt, but knowing Tao, she could have been far worse off. Like, needing the Dragon Balls worse off.

Rushing back inside, Gohan made it into his classroom just as the class was starting. Apologizing for being late, he made his way to sit by Erasa and Sharpner.

Halfway through the period, they began to worry about where Videl was, but Gohan told them that Videl could handle herself, and she was probably just taking care of the official stuff that went along with the crimes that she stopped. It was a lot more believable than " _don't worry, I was there, I saved her, so she's just taking a little break to recover."_

She didn't show up for all of fourth period. She wasn't there by fifth period either. By the time that the period was about to end, the door opened up, and she finally showed up. She was holding an ice pack to the side of her head, but besides that, she looked to be fine.

Erasa immediately swarmed her, asking if she was fine.

Videl rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm still walking, talking, and breathing, aren't I?" she asked.

"What happened that kept you up for so long?" Sharpner asked.

Videl huffed. "There was some freaky robot dude after the mayor. Whatever he was, he was too fast and strong for me. Saiyaman managed to stop him, showing up at the last minute."

"Wait, Saiyaman could beat someone that you couldn't?" Sharpner asked.

Videl shrugged. "I don't know if he could beat him, but the guy, Tao, seemed to recognize Saiyaman, and immediately ran."

Erasa eyed her best friend. "You don't seem so annoyed talking about Saiyaman as you were earlier" she noticed.

"Well, I decided to lay off him for a bit" Videl admitted. "He did save my ass in there, after all. Even I can be thankful." She couldn't tell if it was her imagination or not, but Gohan almost seemed to be relieved when she said that she'd be laying off of Saiyaman. " _And file that little tidbit away for later too…"_

The group finished up the period, before they went down to change for gym. And two of them were noticeably less excited than the rest of the class.

Trudging onto the field, the entire class came to a stop in front of Coach Axe. "Alright, ladies, listen up" he said. "I told you a bit about what's happening last Friday, right?" There was a murmur of assent from the class, at which he continued. "Well, here's the deal. You're getting a very special teacher to run you all through some basic martial arts training. This will last for the week. During this week, I will not be teaching you anything, it's all on your 'guest coach.' Any questions."

The class had none. "Alright, then I'm off for a week in Miami" he said. "Your teacher should be here in a just a moment. Just don't get into trouble."

Giving the class one last once over, Coach Axe walked off the field. A lot of the class started chatting excitedly about meeting the Champ in person. Videl only hoped that he wouldn't be too big of a fool in front of her class.

There was a loud crash behind the class as the door were thrown open. Heads snapped towards the disturbance, only to see nothing but a swift shape fly over their heads. Well, swift to all but one. To that one, it was impossibly slow.

The flipping ball of brown and white jumped over the class, landing on the field before them. "YEA-HAH, THE CHAMP HAS ARRIVED!"

Videl groaned inwardly. " _Hope gone."_

The afroed head of Mr. Satan stood before the entire class, inspiring awe from the teenagers. The hero of the entire world, was less than ten feet away.

"Well now! It's great to be here to teach you kids" Hercule chuckled. "As you might have known, this was my school when I was your age, a little fun fact."

An awed sound escaped the crowd. "So, as I'm sure you've all heard, I, the Champion of the World, the Strongest Under the Heavens, have been brought here to teach you kids a thing or two about martial arts. After all, in the ever growing world we live in, one must be ready to defend themselves at all times!"

" _I'm surprised. He actually sounds like he knows what he's talking about"_ Gohan noted.

"Now, show of hands, how many of you, besides my little Videl, know something about martial arts?" Hercule asked.

Videl hung her head low at being singled out like that. About half of the rest of the class raised their hands into the air, including Gohan, whom she didn't notice.

"So we've got a fair amount, that's good, real nice" Hercule chuckled. "But we've got some that don't, and you can always start at the base. Line up and show me your best fighting stance!"

Gohan was hoping he could just blend in with the crowd, so this order shattered his hopes. " _Just please don't pay too close attention, please…"_

His body, natural as it was, sunk into his stance, in unison with the rest of the class. Leaning low, putting the weight on his front leg, he held one arm out back, and one curled in front of him, hands hooked.

Videl, a few classmates down, watched Gohan, and was shocked when she saw his stance. It wasn't one she thought she had ever seen, yet it felt as if she had, somewhere. What's more, that wasn't just him imitating a stance. It was a seasoned, flawless stance. She couldn't see one hole in his guard, one weak spot, nothing.

She ignored him, choosing to stay focused on maintaining her own fighting stance. " _He's got such an expert base. How? Is Gohan a fighter? He couldn't be, could he?"_

Hercule started at the end of the row of kids, working his way down, and analyzing their poses. "Hmm… Good, but adjust your weight a bit… Nice, very nice… Don't worry, I'll help you find a decent one…" and so on.

Gohan closed his eyes and prayed to Dende as Hercule drew near to him. His voice came ever closer, and he tried even harder.

He heard footsteps right in front of him. "Ah, so you've got a pretty good one there" Hercule's voice came. He looked up. "Maybe if… You…" Hercule's voice completely stopped as he continued to get a look at the boy in front of him.

He glanced up, and saw that Hercule had stopped in shock. "Duh… Duh… Deliv-"

Quick as he could manage, he moved a single finger in front of his mouth, shushing Hercule. The last thing he needed was for the class to hear the Champion call him 'Delivery Boy.'

Blinking, Hercule stumbled onto the next student, but his voice was broken up now, stuttering over simple words. He kept glancing back at Gohan the whole time.

" _Why do I even bother asking you for help, Dende?"_ he wondered. He had a feeling that this was about to be the longest class he had ever had.

* * *

 **That's a wrap on this one.**

 **This'll probably be the last update for a while. I have 3 other stories that need attention, after all. So I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **I've always gotten a kick out of the scene where Cyborg Tao fled from Gohan in Lime's village, and love the way people have his reaction be should he show back up in these stories. So, I decided to do my own take on that. I hope it turned out good. It was supposed to make the scene where Videl stops hating Saiyaman so much, and it also gives a very key piece of info to his identity. You probably noticed it. Videl sure did, even if she didn't mention it.**

 **Anyways, I've got to wrap things up and get to class, so I'll respond to reviews real fast before I have to head out.**

 **Fromaster24 - glad you're liking it. The article did mention Goku, Yamcha, and Krillin. However, at the moment, she was more focused on the Kamehameha WAve than the Tournament**

 **Mfmxxx - I'd be willing to. I already explained in PM**

 **Lancecomwar - not sure about a whole Frieza Returns arc, but I have something planned soon**

 **HakushoRuroini - yup, I love doing that too :D**

 **I would respond to a few others, but I'm pushing it at this point, and really want to get this up before I don't have internet access anymore. Sorry.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'd love it if you dropped a review, and until next time, cya!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4 - Playtime**

* * *

Gohan grimaced as Hercule stumbled through the rest of the class. " _I should have just skipped today. Mom would have understood"_ he thought.

Standing up straight, he dropped his stance like the rest of the class had. " _Out of all the schools, all the classes, and all the potential teachers, how come_ Hercule _had to come_ here _? Come on, can't I catch a break after the whole Buu thing?"_

The skin on the back of his neck began crawling again, as he found Videl studying him again. He winced. " _Crapbaskets, she noticed something."_

He let out a breath of relief as Hercule finished up and regained the attention of the class. At least Videl wasn't mentally drilling a hole in the back of his head anymore. His stress returned when he realized that Hercule refused to do more than glance away from him while he addressed the class.

"Well, we've got s-some basis to w-work on" Hercule said. Surprisingly, his voice sounded even, which was more than he expected from what he had seen back in the Buu incident.

" _Just please stop staring at me!"_

"So, uh, yeah, we'll get into groups and, uh, start there" he continued. "G-get together in pairs and spar, I-I'll watch and rank you ac-ccordingly."

"What's up with the Champ?" one of Gohan's classmates muttered.

"He seems distracted. I don't blame him, he must have seen some stuff recently" another one said.

Bad news. His class noticed Hercule's weird attitude. Good news. They blamed it on something else entirely. Feeling a slight ball of tension leave, he let out a breath.

* * *

Videl's glare sharpened. What was up with Gohan today? First off, he, the resident nerd, puts on an extremely expert fighting stance. It was flawless or as close as could be, and what more, it looked so _natural._ This wasn't something he studied, it was a practiced pose.

Second up, he seemed to be rapidly fluctuating between moods. One moment, he appeared on edge, almost nervous, and the next moment, stress free? " _What are you hiding, Son Gohan?"_ she obsessed.

Her dad was running the class, and he already knew her skill level. She probably didn't even need to find a partner to get evaluated. But why not participate with the class?

"Gohan" she said sharply, causing the young man to jump. " _Good, he's still on edge."_ "Come on, you'll be my sparring partner."

Gohan stared at her like she was crazy for a second, before chuckling. "Really? Videl, I wouldn't be much help, I mean, you're an expert fighter. What could I do?"

"More than you're letting on, I'm sure" Videl smirked, seeing the amusement fade from his face. "Come on, Gohan, I saw your stance. You've got more to you than you're admitting to. Now get your butt over here!"

She said the last part with enough force that Gohan didn't even try to back out of it anymore. " _Right where I want you"_ she thought satisfiedly. Either she proves that he knows how to fight, and thus prove that he hasn't been telling them everything, or she gets to kick his butt for all that he's withheld.

As the class began to disperse around them, Videl crouched down, bringing her fists up. She waited for a moment, and gohan didn't do anything. "Hey, smart guy, you're supposed to be sparring with me, remember? Come at me!"

Gohan's eyes widened slightly, and he raised his hands. "I'm not just going to attack you, Videl!" he protested.

Eyes narrowing, she growled. "What, because I'm a girl?" she asked threateningly.

"What?!" No, I-" Gohan tried to explain, babbling.

"Videl, wait!" she heard a deep voice say, and sighed internally.

She twisted sharply and shot a glare at her dad. "What, Dad?" she asked, just as much force behind it as it had against Gohan.

Hercule raised his hands in what was supposed to be a calming gesture. "Sweetie, it's just that I already know where you stand, you don't need to train against these guys. Why don't you, uh, let this guy train against someone more his level?"

What was that in her dad's voice. Was it… Pleading? Her frown deepened. Maybe her father was just thinking about the safety of the supposed 'nerd,' but he didn't know what she knew. If she was right about Gohan being the caped dork running, or flying, around the city, then he wouldn't hesitate to let her at him. After all, he had a very strong opinion about people that used the tricks Saiyaman used.

Her scowl became more pronounced. "Daddy, I'm not just going to sit to the side because I have 'special privileges' or whatever" she said firmly. "I'm in this class, and I'm going to participate."

"Ok, Videl, I understand" he father said soothingly. "But, I mean, why don't you choose someone closer to your skill level, like your friend Sharpner. He comes to my gym, after all, he definitely knows how to fight better than this scrawny guy."

Gohan flashed a small frown at Hercule, and Videl could have sworn she saw his adam's apple bob in a gulping motion. "Dad, did you really just say Sharpner would be a worthy opponent for me?" she snorted. "He knows something, but he's casual."

"Um, but wouldn't he be better than me, then?" Gohan added with a timid tone. "He practices on a regular basis, right?"

"And what about you, Gohan" Videl said, sharply wheeling on him. "There's something you're leaving out of that statement, right? He practices, sure, but what about you, huh?"

Gohan seemed to stumble back as she targeted him, and she smirked internally. " _Come on, Gohan, answer the question, or I'll force the answer out of you."_

Dropping back into her fighting stance, she saw Gohan's arms raise weakly. " _Not gonna use that stance from earlier, huh? Worried it might reveal something about you?"_

"V-Videl, please-" Hercule tried to say.

"Sorry, Dad, but my mind's made up" Videl said with finality, before lunging at Gohan.

Expecting to catching him off guard, Videl twisted, bringing her foot around in a round kick aimed at his shoulder. She briefly saw his eyes widen in surprise, before he leaned backwards, letting the kick sail harmlessly over his head.

Planting her foot on the ground, she launched a swift punch straight as his torso. In a surprising feat of agility, Gohan twisted to the side, moving in a fashion that her punch sailed past.

Videl pressed onwards, sending a flurry of quick punches straight at the team, every single time, just barely missing as he dodged to the side. The more she attacked, the smoother his movements seemed to get. No longer stumbling around, almost looking like he dodged by sheer luck, he began to sway while taking steps back, each movement fluid and calculated. Once or twice, the shocked look on his face was briefly replaced with the tiniest of smirks.

But she was getting annoyed. No, the more they fought, the more evidence she amassed that, at least, Gohan was hiding a lot. Behind his nerdy persona, he at least knew his way around a fight. The problem was that he wasn't fighting back. It was almost as if he was mocking her, avoiding every attack flung his way, but not even giving her the courtesy of throwing a punch of his own.

It was insulting.

"Damnit, fight back!" she growled fiercely.

* * *

Things were not going well for Gohan in the slightest. Sure, he may have had the edge in the fight, but that wasn't going to help him here.

He had gotten a glance at what Elder Kai had done for his body beyond just power a week earlier, when he caught his brother, _in his sleep_. Beyond being more powerful, his body's reflexes had improved to an unimaginable level. He hardly even need to focus on the fight to engage in combat.

Which was the problem. It took every ounce of his willpower to avoid fighting for real, and he _really_ didn't want to fight for real. He was already moving too fast for what he should be, even if he hadn't gotten to the point of being faster than the eye could see. If he knocked a blow to the side, he could send her too far off balance for his own good. And he didn't even want to think about what would happen if he fought back. Best case scenario, he prove himself to be better than Videl, which would open up a whole can of worms he didn't want. Worst case…

"Damnit, fight back!" Videl nearly shouted at him.

" _Fight back?!"_ Gohan mentally facepalmed. Was she trying to provoke him into knocking her out cold. His body was already working against him as it was. Against Buu's Super form, he didn't have to worry about holding back, power-wise, or reflex-wise. Now, too late, he realized just how inexperienced he was with his new powers. It was worse than when he and his dad emerged from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber in a constant Super Saiyan state.

Videl sent a blow straight at his body, and he jumped straight back, landing three feet away, and tried to stumble for effect. He didn't have a moment to think of what to do next before Videl was on top of him again.

" _She's great for a human"_ he realized as he ducked another swing. " _Especially for one with no Ki control."_ Maybe far weaker than Krillin, Tien, or even Master Roshi, but still, good. In fact, she may be even stronger than her father. Hercule had slacked since the Cell Games, and there, he was shockingly powerful for a human without Ki control. Heck, by normal standards, he was still impressive. " _I wonder what those two could do if they had been brought up with Ki control also…"_

Entire body jolting, he barely stopped himself from knocking her next blow aside. He was growing distracted on his train of thought. He saw a knowing smirk cross Videl's face as he stopped. " _Crap, she saw that"_ he swore internally. As she kicked up at him, Gohan began to raise his hands, before he caught himself and darted to the side.

"What's the matter, Gohan? Why don't you fight back?" she grunted as she kept it up, traces of a grin playing at her face.

" _She's kinda cute when she smiles"_ he noted, knowing that the smile was caused by her getting closer to proving more about him. He blanched. " _Wait, cute?"_

His body ducked low underneath her next swing, his leg struck out and swept her legs out from underneath her. His eyes widened as she left the ground, falling backwards until she slammed to the grassy surface, air escaping her lungs in an audible gasp.

" _Crap crap crap crap crap crap CRAP!"_ he panicked. Maybe not much of his power went into that kick, but it was enough. He saw just how quickly she was slammed into the ground. Running over to her side, he looked down at Videl. "Videl, are you okay?!" he asked worriedly.

Videl's eyes stared blankly for a second, not focusing on him. His heartbeat quickened, and he wondered just what he did. Then she blinked, and wheezed loudly, coughing as she shot up.

Gohan breathed a sigh of relief. "Videl, you're alright?" he asked.

Videl looked up at him. "Yeah, just had the wind knocked out of me" she said, before sending an evil smirk his way. "That was quite a move you pulled right there. Something tells me that you left out a detail about your fighting abilities."

Gohan froze, and then chuckled nervously. "Heh heh, yeah, I guess…"

Pushing herself back to her feet, she shot a glare at him. "Well?" she said expectantly.

Gohan scratched the back of his head. "Well, I used to train a lot, a long time ago, but I haven't really done any practice very much for quite a few years now. I thought I'd be a lot rustier than I was."

It wasn't a total lie. He barely trained for seven years after the Cell Games, and between that time and the present, he only got a bit of training in. It just happened to be super effective training. Being rusty though… Yeah, no playing around that one. That one was a blatant lie.

Videl's glare softened, becoming slightly less serious, and more sarcastic. "You think?" she said. "Really? I don't know what kind of training you had up in the mountains, but that wasn't rusty."

Gohan chuckled nervously, scratching his head again. "I travelled quite a bit too, so I got some different kinds of training."

He could fly around the world in a very short amount of time, and his trip to Namek definitely qualified as 'travel.' Space travel, but travel nonetheless.

"Uh-huh" Videl said. "Well who would have thought, mountain boy being my only rival in this class."

"R-rival?" Gohan said, surprised.

"Someone who could keep up with me, at least" Videl huffed. Bringing her hands up, she got back into a fighting stance. "Now, this time, fight back, don't just run away."

" _She_ still _wants to go?!"_ Gohan nearly fell back when he heard her. He dropped down slightly, gulping nervously as he looked at Videl, who looked like she was ready to go run a mile. Even after having the wind knocked out of her, she still was in top form. " _Dende, please, I don't know if I can keep fighting without hurting her. I really need to-"_

"Alright, you lot, that's enough" the booming voice of Hercule rang out.

" _Dende, remind me to thank you later"_ he thought with relief, dropping the stance and standing up straight. Letting out the breath he was holding, he tried to avoid Videl's gaze as he walked with the rest of the class back to Hercule.

After waiting for them all to gather, Hercule nodded. "Alright, I'd say that's a pretty g-good show of your individual skills" he said. His voice was still slightly shaky, but at least he was more in control now. "Tomorrow, I'll have individual regimens set up for each of you, but for now, we're out of time. All you all, get out of here."

The class broke out into conversation as they were dismissed, the adreneline high from sparring keeping them in high spirits. Most of them were still hyped up from meeting the World Champ, _in person_.

Gohan turned around to make his way back to the locker rooms, when he heard one last thing. "Before you go, skinny kid, over here!"

Blinking, he turned around, and saw Hercule beckoning to him. " _I guess he wants to talk"_ he realized. Trying to look bewildered, he made his way over to the Champ. However, he wasn't the only one.

"And what exactly do you want with Gohan, Dad?" Videl asked, looking curiously from her dad to him.

"I have a few special notes for him that I don't want to share in front of the class" Hercule rumbled. "Go on home, Videl, I'll be back in a while."

"Uh huh" Videl said, eyebrow raised at her father. It didn't take a genius to see her skepticism over Hercule's response. "Well, okay, I'll see you there, then."

Gohan didn't turn around to watch her leave, only needing to sense her Ki to make sure she made her way off the field. As he felt her and all the others go inside the building, he looked up at the Champ, dropping his timid act.

"Sorry to surprise you like that, Mr. S" he said.

Hercule blinked, looking down at him. "Oh, it's, uh, no problem at all, I just didn't expect to see you of all people here. Uh, what are you doing here?"

"My mom sent me to school so I could make some friends my age. Satan City was the closest place to where we live" Gohan explained.

"Oh, ok. So, uh, Gohan, was it? Can I call you that? Delivery Boy's a bit of a mouthful."

Gohan chuckled. "Yeah, I'm not a stickler for any of that stuff."

"Okay" Hercule said, visibly relaxing.

Gohan crossed his arms. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked casually.

"Oh, yeah, uh…" Hercule stammered, blinking rapidly as he tried to think.

" _Why is it that this guy's brain short-circuits whenever he's around me or one of my friends, and conscious of it?"_ he wondered. Was energy still such a foreign concept to him, even after Cell and Buu?

"Oh, that's right" Hercule remembered. "I saw you fighting my daughter out there earlier. You;d better hope you didn't do anything to her, or else!"

Gohan almost wanted to chuckle at Hercule's tough attitude. " _He must be a really protective parent, which is odd considering Videl's 'part-time job'"_ he thought.

He shook his head. "You were there, Hercule, you saw that I really didn't have a choice in whether I fought her or not. Don't worry, I'm trying to stay under the radar here." He rubbed his temple. "She seems to have a habit of getting in over her head without even realizing it. She's been trying to find out everything about me."

Hercule blanched. "Wait, _you're_ the kid she's been hounding!?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's been a bit of a bother, but I don't think she'll find me out" Gohan shrugged. "Although, she's giving my alter ego a bit of trouble out there. I can't help her without her trying to take my mask off."

"Mask?" Hercule asked, confused, before realization dawned on his face. "You're that caped hero that's been here recently too. Say-something, right?"

"Saiyaman, yeah" Gohan affirmed. "I like criminals about as much as your daughter does, and I'm trying to do my part. But between trying to unmask me and getting in over her head, it's a pretty tough deal." He gave Hercule a serious look. "She had a run-in with Mercenary Tao earlier today. It sounds like you two have history, from what he said?"

Paling slightly, Hercule stared wildly. " _WHAT?!_ " he roared.

Gohan nodded, slightly taken aback by the sheer intensity of his voice. He _definitely_ knew Tao. Maybe it was because of how powerful he was, but he never saw Tao as too threatening. Sure, dangerous to normal humans, but not a terrible threat. This must have been how someone like him was viewed through Hercule's eyes.

"Don't worry, I ran him out of town" Gohan assured the large man. "I doubt he'll be back in my lifetime."

Hercule visibly relaxed hearing that his daughter wouldn't be in any further trouble. "Oh, uh, well, thank you" he said. He glanced back up at Gohan. "Uh, I do have to wonder. If you don't want to be recognized by Videl, why don't you just do that glowey blonde thing you did on Cell? Wouldn't that disguise you?"

"Long story short, I lost that power" Gohan said. "I'm still just as strong, but I don't have the actual form like that. That's why I have my suit. Now, sorry, Mr. S, but if that's all, I really need to go, okay? I like to make rounds a bit before I head on home."

"Oh, yeah, sure thing Deliv-, er, Gohan" Hercule said. "Um, stay up on your training?"

Gohan chuckled at his 'Champion's attitude.' "Yeah, sure thing" he said, turning on the spot. He wished he could just fly off from the field, but there was no telling who might see him besides Hercule. Jogging off the field, he made his way to the doors.

"Oh, wait, I forgot, there's something I want to ask you!" Hercule suddenly called out.

Gohan came to a stop. Closing his eyes, he darted back to where Hercule was, moving faster than anyone could see. "Yeah? What's that?" he asked, slightly annoyed that he had waited until he was almost inside to call him back.

Hercule flinched heavily when Gohan appeared before him, falling over on his rear in shock. Trying to shake it off, he climbed back to his feet. "I wanted to see if, well, I could ask you a favor. You remember Buu, right?"

Gohan raised his eyebrows, and Hercule shirked back. "Erm, right, dumb question" he admitted. "Well, you see, Buu's getting really bored all cooped up in our house while we wait for your wish-thingy to go through. He's blowing through every form of entertainment I have for him, and this morning, he asked me to play with him by fighting him."

"You didn't agree, did you?" Gohan asked.

"No way, I am extremely painfully aware of how much stronger Buu is than me" Hercule said quickly. "But, he really wants to do, well, 'pow-pow' as he calls it. I was wondering if maybe, you'd be willing to fight with him, just to help out?"

Gohan blinked, not having expected this at all. "Hold up a minute, Champ, you're saying you want me to fight with the Good Buu that's living in your house?"

"Not to hurt him, he just wants to play, and that's how he likes to play" Hercule explained. "Look, you don't have to, but I'd make it worth your while. I'd pay you a million zeni for doing this for me and Buu."

" _Gosh, a million zeni?"_ Gohan wondered. He wasn't all that interested in the money, but he knew that after everything had settled, his mom was a bit upset that none of them, besides Goten, earned any money to help support them. And runner-up in the Junior Division wasn't a giant check.

"Heck, if Buu wanted to fight anymore after this, for the next while, maybe it could be like a part time job for you?" Hercule asked. "You make Buu happy, I'll make you rich, how does that sound?"

Gohan shrugged. "I don't care much for riches, but my mom could really use some extra finances. You know what? Sure, why not? I can fly over in a bit to pick up Buu and make sure we aren't spotted, and go somewhere where we won't harm anyone."

"Well, that sounds just great" Hercule said. "Really, I appreciate it, and Buu sure does too. Or, well, he will, once he knows about it, because until then-"

"I get it" Gohan cut him off. "I'll head over when I can slip away, don't worry about it."

* * *

It didn't take long for Gohan to change back into his normal clothes and find a secluded corner to transform in. Donning his Saiyaman disguise, he took the skies, surveilling the entire city from above.

Videl was working hard, fighting a trio of heavy men that seemed to be robbing a convenience store. He made to help, but before he landed, she had the three of them taken care of.

" _She's really something else."_ Even being trained her entire life, she just fought three men three times her size simultaneously and looked none the worse for wear. Pretty impressive all things considered.

Setting down on a low rooftop, he looked down at the scene. The men seemed to have been trying to brute force their way through, judging by the shattered glass littering the pavement. Glancing around, he didn't feel any other malicious Kis in the area. " _A team of three? What these guys have in muscles, they lack in brain power…"_

Videl glanced up, and saw him standing on the rooftop. "What's the matter, Saiyaman, just watching today?" she called.

"I step in where I'm needed, Miss Videl!" Gohan called back in his Saiyaman voice. "You required no help to best these three."

"Yeah?" Videl asked.

"I'm only in it to help, Videl, I don't care about credit" he pointed out.

"Uh huh" Videl said, grinning up at him. "Well, maybe you'll get some credit when I find out who you are, Saiyaman."

Gohan blinked. " _She really has a nice smile"_. He grinned back. "Maybe I will. Of course, for that to happen, you would have to be capable of discovering who I am first" he said, slight tone of cockiness evident in his voice. Raising his hand, he waved to her. "Ciao, see you later!"

Chuckling slightly to himself at the look on Videl's face, having gone from cheerful to dumbfounded and a bit angry, he sprang upwards, dashing off of the rooftop, and into the air, before flying away from the scene.

"Looks like Videl's got the city handled today" he said as he flew through the air. As far as he could tell, there weren't any powerful energies in the city that day, save himself and Buu. Speaking of…

He righted himself in the air. "Buu's energy is a bit weird and hard to sense, but if I try a bit, I should at least be able to get a general direction" he reasoned. It was only at the tournament did he start feeling odd powers. Cell and Frieza, they just felt cold and ruthless, right down to their energy signatures. But it was normal Ki. But, when it came down to the island there, first, there was Spopovich and Yamu, who had a magical boost, giving them extremely odd Ki, but still human. Then there was Shin and Kibito. They were strong, but he couldn't sense their strength, only that they had some. It was strange. Then, Buu. Buu had the oddest energy out of them all. He felt empty, yet overflowing at the same time. What he sensed, he could be dealing with a lot more, or a lot less. Buu's power was slippery, impossible to read accurately.

But he was still a single entity, and while his power was strange, it had a specific location. His head snapped to the side. "Over this way" he muttered to himself. Maybe he wouldn't be able to pin down his exact location, but if he he flew that way, and then looked for the flashiest house around, it shouldn't be an issue.

Wind flicking outwards, Gohan flew off in the direction of the odd energy. Going through the clouds, Gohan passed over the city at a slow pace. He didn't go anywhere near his full speed. He didn't need to attract too much attention.

He let out a breath. Up here, he was just about worry-free. No one could see him, bother him, nothing. He could just relax. He hadn't had too much of that in his life, and he loved every moment he could get.

Of course, he was on his way to have a sparring match with the old terror of the universe, so maybe he wasn't _completely_ worry-free. He frowned slightly. "I'll have to set up some rules with Buu, like no trying to turn me into candy" he realized. That was one of Buu's most dangerous abilities. Maybe his dad and Vegeta fused together had been powerful enough to not let it stop them, but he doubted he could still fight as a peanut-butter cup.

Sensing the energy somewhere below him, Gohan stopped in the air and began to descend. As he emerged from the clouds, he blinked. "Wow, Hercule really knows how to show off…"

Calling Hercule's place a 'house' would be similar to calling his dad a 'good fighter.' The house, no, mansion, was about the same size of the entire school of Orange Star, grounds and all. The property was surrounded by a tall stone wall, with a single imposing gate stationed out front of it.

All in all, it was the kind of place you see in the movies. Gohan searched the building, and looked over towards near the front of the house, on the ground floor. Dropping fast so that he wouldn't be seen, he set down lightly outside the window. Peering inside, sure enough, Majin Buu was sitting on the couch in there.

Lifting the window open, Gohan floated inside, pressing the button on his watch and dropping his Saiyasuit. The cape was cool, but it could easily get in the way in a tight space, and he wanted Buu to recognize him as well. His feet touched the floor with a light thump, and Buu turned towards him.

"Hey Buu, it's been a while" Gohan greeted.

"Oh, hi, you the one who Buu fought when Buu first got out of ball" Buu said, recognition dawning on his face. "And one who was on sky place when Buu came back. Buu sorry for blowing you up."

Gohan cringed slightly, remembering the burning sensation of the attack Buu used, the one that would have shot him out of the atmosphere without Supreme Kai's help. "Yeah, no problem, that's past."

"What you do here?" Buu asked, standing up to face him.

"Mr. Satan told me that you were in the mood to have a fight, earlier" Gohan said. "Since he was busy, he wanted me to come by and see if you wanted to have your match with me."

"You want to play Pow-Pow with Buu?" Buu asked hopefully.

"Sure, I'll play with you" Gohan smiled, watching Buu's childish face break out with happiness.

"Yipee!" Buu cheered. "Pow-Pow, Pow-Pow!" Raising his arms, he started bouncing towards Gohan.

Gohan hurriedly stuck his arms out. "Wait wait wait, hold on a second, Buu" he said. "We can't fight in here, we'll break all of Mr. Satan's things.

"Oh?" Buu asked, before Gohan's words registered. "Oh, uh-huh. Buu no want to hurt Hercule's things. But what we do? Hercule tell Buu that people scared of Buu, and Buu shouldn't leave house."

"We'll leave, we just have to be careful" Gohan said. "If we move fast, no one should see us, and we can go somewhere where we can 'play' safely."

"Ok, Buu can go fast, Buu can go very fast!" Buu said.

"Alright, then let's head out" Gohan said. "I shouldn't be away from my home for too long, anyways."

"Okay!" Buu said.

Turning around, Gohan began to climb out of the window. He froze, however, when he began to hear a faint sound, one that grew rapidly louder.

" _That's Videl's jet copter!"_ Gohan panicked. " _She can't find me here, otherwise it's all over!"_

Hopping back from the window, Gohan got out of sight. "Buu, do you know where Videl lands?" he asked.

"Yes, Buu know. Buu always see Videl land yellow thing on front lawn" Buu told Gohan.

"Then we need to sneak out the back" Gohan said. "Come on, we need to hurry, Videl can't see me here."

"Oh, why no Videl can see you?" Buu asked.

"She doesn't know about me, about our big fight and everything. And I don't want to get in trouble if she catches me and have to tell her everything" Gohan said. "We need to go before she gets here."

Buu didn't ask any more questions, and instead began to waddle down the hall. Gohan grimaced, but figured that even at this pace, Buu should be outside a bit before Videl made it in.

Running ahead as fast as he could without knocking anything over, Gohan found the door that lead out back and opened it gently. Ushering Buu through, he stepped outside and closed it. His heart stopped as he heard the creak of the front door opening.

Making sure it was completely shut, Gohan turned around to face Buu. "As fast as you can, fly straight up into the sky" he said. "Otherwise, we can't play together."

That was the ticket. In a split second, Buu had vanished into the sky, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust in his wake. Backing away from the door, his body went into overdrive. In a split second, Videl had come into view, and at the same moment, Gohan might as well have used Instant Transmission to appear next to Buu.

Buu looked down at Gohan as he appeared. "It all okay? We can go play now?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, it's all good. Come on, I think we've got some areas around where I live that would be perfect. I'd better let my mom know, anyways. Come on, just follow me."

"Okay!" Buu said happily.

High above the clouds, flying towards his little place in the 439 mountain district, Gohan was struck with a sense of irony about the situation. The last time he had been in a similar position, he had been running from Buu, Supreme Kai with him, and Buu had caught them in the blink of an eye. Now, He had to limit himself (not as much as he had to with the others, but still) to not flying at his full speed, just so that Buu wouldn't lose him. Only in his Super and Kid states did he seem to be able sense energy, so he wouldn't be able to follow him if he lost sight of him.

" _Thinking back, I can't believe how fast things have changed"_ Gohan realized. Approximately two weeks ago, Buu was the terror of the universe, and far outmatched him in every area. Now? He was guiding him to a place for a friendly spar. " _How odd."_

* * *

"Oh?" Goten asked, hopping onto the back of the couch, looking out the window.

Chi-Chi, who had been sitting with Goten, looked at her youngest son curiously. "What is it, Goten?" she asked.

Goten stared out the window for a moment, before looking back. "It's my big brother, he's coming back" he said.

"Of course he is, sweetie, school's done by now for him" Chi-Chi said.

"But, I also feel Buu with him" Goten added.

Chi-Chi looked puzzled. "Buu? As in that pink monster?" she asked.

Goten nodded, while Chi-Chi huffed. "Don't be silly, Goten, why would he be coming here?"

Looking back out the window, Goten answered. "I dunno, ask Gohan."

There was a very distinguishable whistling sound as his big brother and Buu set down out front of the house. Jumping down off the couch, Goten ran through the house, racing for the front door. Throwing it open, he darted forward from the doorway, tackling Gohan to the ground.

"Gohan, you're home!" Goten cheered. "That's awesome, now you can come play with me and we can train and, oh yeah, why's Buu here?"

Gohan raised his hands. "Whoa, slow down a bit there, Goten, I can't answer you if you say everything at once" he laughed. "Well, about Buu being here, he was getting bored and wanted a fight. I was just coming to let Mom know before we head out."

"You're going to fight Buu again?" Goten asked. "But that won't even be fun, you pounded the really mean Buu into the ground."

"Yeah, but I'm not fighting for me, or for the fate of the world this time, squirt" Gohan chuckled. "I'll take it easy and help Buu let some energy out."

"We play here?" Buu asked.

"No no, not right here, Buu" Gohan said. "I'm just talking to my mom real fast, then we'll go to the place where we can play, alright?"

"Okay, please hurry, Buu want to play very much!" Buu requested.

"Right, sure thing, Buu" Gohan nodded, turning around. "Come on, squirt, I'm heading in."

"Okay!" Goten chirped.

Walking up to the doorway, still hanging open, the two half-Saiyans walked inside. "Hey, Mom!" Gohan called.

"Gohan?" Chi-Chi answered. There was the faint sound of couch springs releasing as Chi-Chi got up and walked into the entry room. "Oh, good, you're home, so Goten wasn't wrong. Now, what's this I hear about Buu being here?"

"That's actually what I came to talk to you about-" Gohan admitted, before Chi-Chi jumped ahead.

"If that oaf thinks that that giant child is coming to stay with us, he's sorely-" Chi-Chi began to spout off, before Gohan waved her down.

"No no, Mom, you've got it all wrong" he said. "Buu doesn't need a new place, he was just getting bored, so I was going to take some time to spar with him."

His mom gave him a serious look. "Gohan, you just got done fighting that monster a couple weeks ago. You shouldn't be going back to that again so soon."

Gohan sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "I know how you feel, Mom, but Buu's been doing his best to behave and show that he's better. We can at least help him get through 6 months all cooped up. Besides, Hercule said that he would pay us a million zeni to help Buu out."

"A million, huh?" Chi-Chi asked. She sighed. "I suppose that would be a good thing, considering how none of you besides Goten won anything in the tournament…" Gohan cringed slightly. "And Saiyans will be Saiyans… Alright, Gohan, go ahead, have fun with Buu, but don't be out too long, and don't do anything reckless. And I don't care if you have to threaten to blast him, make _sure_ that that buffoon pays up. Apparently 18 _still_ hasn't received payment for something he promised her."

Gohan nodded. "Thanks, Mom, I'll be back in a while" he said.

Giving his mom a brief hug, he turned around and walked for the door. On his way, he passed Goten, who was on the phone.

"Alright, just hurry" he said, before hanging up. He turned around with a giant smile on his face.

"Who you talking to, squirt?" Gohan asked.

"Oh, just Trunks" Goten said. "We were just talking a bit."

"Neat" Gohan commented. "Well, see you later, Goten. I'll be back."

"Okay!" Goten said happily, waving at his brother as he walked out the door. Running into the kitchen, Goten floated up to the window level, high enough to see Gohan walk up to Buu, and the two took back off a moment later.

Landing on the floor, he dashed back into the living room where his mom was settling back down on the couch. "It's nice that Gohan is trying to help the family, it would just be better if he didn't have to fight to do it" she commented. Looking at her son, she raised her eyebrows. "You Saiyans and your battle-lust, I guess it can't be helped."

" _That's not what you've been saying my whole life"_ Goten thought. Even he was smart enough to know better than to say it aloud. Mom really had been different ever since the fight with Buu when he was still evil.

"Yeah, maybe" Goten said. "I'm going to go take a shower, Mommy."

"Alright, Goten" Chi-Chi smiled.

Nodding his acknowledgement, Goten walked through the living room and down the hall. The bathroom was coming up on his right, and he kept walking.

Right past it. He took a left and walked into his room. Quietly closing the door behind him, Goten ran up to the window, a wide grin stealing across his face. Throwing the window opened, he looked at the sky, _opposite_ of the direction that Gohan flew off in. Far in the distance, there was the faint feeling of someone flying this way.

"There you are, Trunks" Goten chuckled. Climbing onto the windowsill, Goten jumped out and took off, floating into the air, keeping his level as low as possible for flying so that no one would catch him.

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

Videl sighed as she flopped down on her bed, tired from her long day. First, she had a run in with a dangerous cyborg man that was impossibly strong and had some sort of laser cannon hidden inside of his arm. She was nearly taken down right then, before Saiyaman saved her from whatever it was, by running him out of the city in the weirdest fashion possible. Who's ever heard of flying away on a pillar they threw?

After that was taken care of, she got to return to school just in time for the final period of the day, which just happened to be her own personal dose of "bring your father to school day." People thought that it would be cool even for her, because he was the World Champ. Dead wrong. Live with any celebrity for all your life, they just become another face to you. And the fact that he insisted on babying her so much, ugh.

She wasn't sure how much she had for her case against Gohan now, but he definitely wasn't just the basic nerd from the wilderness like he appeared. He was fast, strong, and skilled, at the very least. Just how much luck was involved in his P.E. stunts was really starting to come into question...

She rubbed the small of her back, which still felt vaguely sore. That was quite a trip that Gohan had pulled on her. To flip her into the air as he did, it took a lot of strength. She may be light, but she had a lot of skill herself. It wasn't easy to take her as he did.

Then, before she had been allowed to rest for the day, she got a call out to deal with some thugs robbing a convenience store. They weren't much of a problem for her, but what really irked her was Saiyaman's cockieness as he showed up. He just hung over the fight, and then mocked her when she said she'd find him out. Sure, maybe she did that quite a few times now, but that was no cause for that kind of attitude. After all, she earned her respect in this city, right? Oh, as soon as she found a hard clue as to who he was…

She blinked. Sitting up straighter, exhaustion suddenly gone. "Wait a minute" she said, jumping off the bed and running over to the computer. Besides Saiyaman himself, there was one person that knew his identity.

" _You, you're, you're his… You're_ Goku's son!"

Tao had known just who Saiyaman was. And he had inadvertently helped her, by giving her a clue. " _Goku… I could have sworn that I've heard that name before"_ she tried to remember where from.

Pulling up a search engine, she typed it in. " _Maybe there'll be something online"_ she thought.

Typing in 'goku' to the search box, she hit the button. Only a moment had to pass before results came up, and her eyes widened.

Goku.

 _Son_ Goku.

 _The_ Son Goku!

That was the only recorded 'Goku' she could find, and now, she recalled exactly why she thought she remembered the name.

"Son Goku, a living legend, youngest person to ever win the World Martial Arts Tournament" Videl spoke in awe. Saiyaman, if he was really the child of this legendary fighter, made perfect sense. As a child, Goku was one of the most astonishing contenders to ever appear in the Tournament circuit, and this was before the Junior Division existed. Goku fought among the adults, and came runner up several times when he was just a kid. He won for real when he became 18.

And beyond just being an amazing contender in the tournaments, it was said that Goku singlehandedly ended the tyranny of King Piccolo, a threat to the world that had been almost as dire as Cell himself.

His dad had called Goku a trickster, but trickster or not, that didn't change the fact that he was a living legend. Saiyaman, child of Son Go-

Her brow furrowed. _Son_ Goku. Family names may not be commonly used, but that only narrowed the possibility that it was someone she knew.

"Son Goku, let me take a guess at the name of your child" she smirked to herself. "Son Gohan, perhaps?"

It all clicked together. She had her suspicions, and this all but confirmed them. Gohan was obviously hiding a lot about himself. He was much stronger and faster than he let on, and somehow made a massive commute that would take some of the fastest vehicles on the market over an hour, twice a day. He made it an effort to conceal everything about him, just so that no possible strings could be linked to him.

And he didn't even notice when Tao let out that particular key piece of info about him. "Hah hah" she laughed triumphantly. "I've got everything but a piece of hard evidence to prove Gohan is Saiyaman. I just need something solid on him…"

Goku hadn't been seen since his victory in the 23rd, which meant there was no record that he even _had_ a child. She lacked that vital piece of info. She leaned back, deep in thought.

"If I confront him directly, he probably won't crack" she mused. "What I need is to do is catch him in a situation where he'll slip up. I've just got to think of something that would do that for me…"

She either needed to unmask Saiyaman, cause him to trip up, or trick Gohan into doing something Saiyaman would be capable of. For as long as she thought about it, she hadn't come up with a decent idea. There were some situations where he might be in a tight enough spot for her to get her hands on him, but she couldn't think of a good, controlled way to trigger one of those events.

She growled. "I _know_ it's him" she insisted. "But how do I prove it?"

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head. She sat completely upright. "That's it!" she realized, grinning evilly. "Saiyaman might seem invulnerable, but I bet his helmet isn't. I might not be able to unmask him by pulling it off of him, but if his helmet can be damaged…"

She hopped to her feet. "Gohan, you'd better watch out. I'm going to prove who you are if it's the last thing I do!"

"Now, where's Buu at?"

* * *

 **Mountains**

* * *

"Alright, Buu, this spot ought to be good" Gohan called back, descending with Buu trailing behind him.

The two of them set down lightly. The spot Gohan had chosen was a rather large protrusion, a large ridge down the side of a mountain. It was far enough away from his house that, hopefully, and stray blasts or debris wouldn't hurt anyone.

"Yay, playtime, playtime, Pow Pow!" Buu cheered.

"Just one second more, Buu" Gohan said, to this displeasure of the Majin.

"What you want now?" Buu pouted.

"We can play in just a second, but just a couple little rules" Gohan said. "First off, you need to make sure to not hurt the planet. You got that?"

"Oh ho!" Buu nodded.

"Just hold back enough or direct your attacks so that no major damage happens" Gohan clarified. "Buu, the other thing is that you can't turn me into candy. In a real fight for your life, that's an amazing power, but let's avoid it against me. It's not fair, do you get that?"

"Buu get it. Buu no turn Gohan to candy, or cookie, or pudding" Buu promised.

"Good" Gohan nodded. "Well, whenever you're ready, Buu, come at me."

"Pow Pow!" Buu cheered, pumping his fists in the air. Crouching low, Buu got into his own fighting stance.

In a normal fight, one would wait for the other to make a move, and be cautious. Buu was playing, and he rushed Gohan right off the bat.

A large yellow gloved hand came swinging down at Gohan. Reacting fast, Gohan lifted a hand in retaliation and caught Buu's punch. Twisting around, he pulled Buu's arm over his shoulder, before lashing a kick backwards, landing straight in Buu's soft gut.

Letting go of his hand, Gohan turned back around and delivered a backhand to the side of Buu's head, sending the Majin tumbling into the side of the mountain. Before the dust had even settled, Gohan stuck his arms forward and unleashed a quick barrage of ki blasts, scattering debris everywhere.

Gohan lowered his arms, letting the dust settle around Buu, who became rapidly visible. Buu stumbled back to his feet, much of his body burnt from the blasts, and chunks of his flesh missing. But even as he stood up, the burns faded, and his body regenerated its lost parts.

Even after what would have been a dire condition for anyone else, Buu was grinning like he was having the time of his life. "You strong, you really _really_ strong!"

"Why thank you, Buu" Gohan said, lunging forward again, this time landing an uppercut into the bottom of Buu's head, knocking him upwards. Leaping after him, he was surprised when Buu tilted forward and slammed his head into his own. Reeling slightly, Gohan spun around and landed a in Buu's side.

Like he was shot out of a cannon, Buu went flying away from the force of the kick. Dashing after him, Gohan flew ahead before spiking Buu to the ground. Electricity crackling around him, he clenched his fists and dove at Buu, unleashing a flurry of blows that pummeled the Majin deep into the ground.

Buu's fists came at him from either side. Retreating back into the air, the two attacks clashed with each other, and Buu pushed his hands to the ground, shooting him into the air straight at Gohan. Buu curled up, making himself like a cannonball, though not to the extent his other incarnations were capable of. Gohan braced himself in the air as the bubblegum-like body of Buu crashed into his own. Twisting, Gohan threw Buu off to the side, before shooting a long, narrow burst of ki at him. The blast pushed into Buu, detonating.

Buu rolled back through the air, eventually coming to a stop. And he was still grinning like a madman. "More, more, more!" Buu chanted.

Gohan chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. "You know, you're still just a little crazy" he said.

Buu laughed. "Now Buu go big power" he said, cupping his hands to his side.

As the pink energy began to form in his hands, Gohan backed away slightly. " _Buu can still use the Kamehameha?"_ he wondered. He knew that after Buu had absorbed him, he had used a Kamehameha Wave against his dad and Vegeta, but he didn't know that he could still use it even without him inside of him.

"Woooooo!" Buu shouted as he thrust the energy forward, the large wave of pink light blasting forward.

"Hrk" Gohan grunted, powering up even further. Charging his energy to his hand, he delivered a powerful backhand to the energy wave, sending it spiraling off into the sky, before it detonated, lighting up the entire area in the pink light.

Gohan's eyes grew wide. " _Geez, Buu isn't kidding around! I thought he'd be a lot weaker now, but he's still got a lot of power! If I hadn't sent that one away, it might have flattened the mountain."_ Turning back to face the Majin, he darted forward. " _Maybe I should focus on the fight, keeping Buu entertained. I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, but still."_

Buu met his first punch with one of his own. Gohan slammed his elbow into Buu's gut, just as a kick came from below, forcing Gohan above Buu, who took the chance to fly up and headbutt Gohan in the stomach. As Buu was there, Gohan flipped backwards, foot connecting with Buu once again and sending him reeling as Gohan recovered.

He flew forward to meet Buu, flying up and lashing a few fast kicks at Buu once more before bringing his hands together and spiking Buu towards the ground. Flying ahead, he met Buu before he hit, and sent him flying parallel to the terrain.

As he spun through the air, Gohan slammed a quick combo of punches into his body, and then kicked upwards, before flying ahead and stopping Buu with a chop to the back of the neck. Buu floated slowly, turning up to face Gohan.

"Wow… You really, _yawn_ " Buu said tiredly.

Gohan blinked. Was Buu, falling asleep on him? " _Before when he was evil, he was already a bit lazy"_ he remembered. " _I guess he doesn't have much stamina anymore. Still, I didn't expect him to be done already."_

"Didja' have fun, Buu?" Gohan asked.

Buu nodded. "Yes, Buu have lots of-"

The pair's conversation was cut off by a loud, eardrum rattling roar. Gohan flinched slightly at the loud sound. "What was that?" he asked. It sounded familiar, yet he couldn't place his finger on it.

He became dimly aware of a ki signature moving towards them fast. Not a large one, but it was definitely coming for them.

A sudden flock of birds flew up from the trees in alarm, drawing Gohan's attention just as a massive purple creature came flying up at them. Grabbing Buu by the arm, he pulled the two of them out of the way as the creature flew past.

It turned in the air to face them, wearing an angry face. It was a dragon, large wingspan, purple scales with a cream-colored underbelly, and several horns sticking out of its head.

"Wait a minute…" Gohan said. "Icarus, is that you?"

The dragon's snarl subsided slightly as it heard the name. Cocking its head to the side, it studied Gohan.

Gohan laughed. "Icarus, it's me! It's Gohan!"

Hearing Gohan's name now, the dragon's face went from angry and curious to happy and excited. Once again, it flew towards them, tackling Gohan to the ground, and he didn't try to fight it this time. He was too busy laughing as the large dragon tried to lick him to death.

"Alright, _alright,_ Icarus, hey there" he laughed whenever it was safe to open his mouth. "It great to see you too. Man, you've gotten so big, how long has it been?"

Icarus was much larger that he was the last time Gohan had seen him, some time just after the Cell Games. While he still acted like one, he no longer looked like a giant puppy dog. His body had elongated, becoming almost ten feet long, with each wing being around eight feet. His legs were quite a bit larger too, standing straight on all fours, he was a bit taller than Gohan was. His horns had grown out too, each one being around six inches long, the two on the top of his head being closer to eighteen. His muzzle now looked more like a dragon's and less like a beak.

Reaching up, he scratched Icarus behind the head, causing the dragon to thump his back leg on the ground. "Still a giant softie" he laughed. He wondered for a moment why Icarus was there, and why he had tried to attack them, but he realized why he might of. "Oh, did we spook you with out fight?" he asked. "Sorry, Icarus, I tried to pick somewhere secluded, I didn't know you'd be here."

The giant lick that followed was all that needed to get to know that Icarus forgave him. "Alright boy, come on, let me up" he said.

Icarus stood up, letting Gohan get up on his own. Gohan smiled as he pet Icarus again. It had really been a long time since he had seen him, after all. He noticed Buu was still floating in the air where he had left him. "One minute, Icarus" he said, floating back into the air.

Coming level to Buu, he stared in shock as he heard snores coming from the Majin. Snores! He was sleeping in the air! How did he even stay afloat?

Gohan shook his head in disbelief. "Buu, you are an enigma" he said, before grabbing him and leading him to the ground. "I guess we really are done for today, then."

Icarus cocked his head to the side as he looked at the thing Gohan was dragging. He let out a low growl as they got close.

"It's okay, Icarus, he's a friend" Gohan assured him. Icarus stopped growling.

Hefting the hefty Majin over his shoulder, Gohan looked around. "Let's see, home is that way, I think" he said as he tried to direct himself. "Yeah, alright."

Lifting into the air, he pointed himself in the right direction, then looked down. "Hey, Icarus, want to come with? It's been awhile since you've been over to our house.

Eyes shining brightly, Icarus let out a sound that was halfway between a bark and a roar, and spread his wings wide.

"I'll take that as a yes" Gohan grinned. Turning around in the air, he flew off, and with a rush of wind, Icarus had lifted off right behind him.

* * *

Gohan had to fly slow so that Icarus could keep up. The dragon was strong, but nowhere near as fast as him. Some time later, however, Gohan's home came into view.

Setting down, he dropped Buu to the ground. While he hit with a thud, he figured the Majin wouldn't even notice, and could care less, considering his state of being unconscious. Gohan turned back to the dragon behind him.

"Hey, Icarus, I'll be out in a minute, I just have to let my mom know about where I am, alright?" he asked. "Okay."

Opening the door, Gohan walked in. "Hey, Mom!" he called out. "I'm back!"

"Gohan?" Chi-Chi asked from the other room, walking into sight. She frowned upon seeing him. "You've been gone for quite some time, young man. What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Mom" Gohan said sheepishly. "I was fighting with Buu, then when that was done, an old friend found me."

"An old friend?" Chi-Chi asked.

Gohan grinned. "Yeah, I saw Icarus."

"Oh, the dragon" she said. "Well, that's nice, honey, but you have to catch up on your work after putting it off all day. Come on, go up to your room."

"Uh…" Gohan said, scratching his head. "But Mom, I told Icarus I'd be right back out to be with him, and I still have to take Buu home."

"Your schooling comes first, Gohan" Chi-Chi said, a dangerous edge in her voice. "You know better. Icarus can wait. Buu can fly himself home."

"But-" Gohan tried to say.

"No buts except yours at your desk" Chi-Chi commanded.

Gohan realized he was fighting a losing battle. " _How is it that the most powerful fighter in the universe is under the will of his human mother?"_ he groaned internally. "Fine, Mom…" he muttered dejectedly.

"You can still play with the dragon, _after_ you complete your work" Chi-Chi said.

"Okay…" Gohan said, walking to his room, frown on his face.

Closing the door behind him as he sat inside, he sighed and flopped on his bed. "Moms…" he complained.

"Roouh?" a soft sound came from his window.

Craning his neck, Gohan looked over, and saw the giant purple head of the dragon looking in at him. Smiling, he got up and walked over. "Hey, buddy, I won't be able to come right back out. Sorry, but I'll be able to soon."

Icarus' face fell slightly, although he looked happy that Gohan would be able to come out soon, anyways. Gohan chuckled and petted Icarus' snout. "Hey, actually, do you think you could do me a favor?" he asked. "Buu's gonna need to get home before someone notices he's gone. Do you think you could fly him home, and make sure no one sees him?"

Icarus licked Gohan's face again, smiling. Hopping down from the window, he gently picked Buu up in his mouth, and deposited him on his back. He looked up at Gohan expectantly.

"Right, you need to know where to go" Gohan realized. Glancing back at the door hesitantly, he floated out of the window for a brief moment. "Head that way" he said, pointing in the direction of Satan City. "Look for a giant house with a gold statue out front. You should be able to smell Buu there, so that should make it easier. Just make sure you keep Buu himself out of sight, okay?"

Icarus nodded, happy and determined. Spreading his wings, he took off into the afternoon sky.

"Hurry back, Icarus, then we can play!" Gohan called as the dragon flew off, hoping to motivate his friend to fly faster.

Before he could be caught, he flew back inside his window. He let out a sigh. "Well, if he's gonna hurry back, then I guess I should hurry up."

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his homework from the day and laid it out on his desk. Grabbing a pen, he sat down and went to work.

* * *

 **?**

* * *

"Um, Trunks, I feel like we're staying too long."

"Come on, Goten, don't be a baby. You want to beat your brother, right?"

"Yeah, but they're going to notice if we're here too much longer, though."

"Please, we have a long time yet before it's going to be noticeable."

"Are you sure."

"Goten, it's me. Of course I'm sure."

"Alright then."

* * *

 **And that's that for this chapter. A lot of filler content, but I'm setting up for the next few chapters. We've already got Videl now completely set on Gohan's trail, but that's not all. Not to spoil too much, but Icarus is going to have a pretty big role in the next chapter. And what's with Goten and Trunks?**

 **And I almost forgot the reviews.**

 **ICHeart - Gohan isn't really a killer, Tao wasn't really a threat once he was scared.**

 **lancecomwar - Tao is evil, but he's not completely blackhearted like Babidi. If everyone with some evil intent wasn't wished back, the population would have been about halved**

 **Skyreal - I do have quite a few plans besides just highschool stuff**

 **0 Jordinio 0 - I was planning on keeping it K+ undtil some actual T content was in, but eh, I guess there's no real point in waiting**

 **Hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review (any authors in the house now how good a review feels), and until next time, cya!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Eh, I'm doing this for fun anyways. And with writing this story, one chapter at a time just isn't enough, heh heh. I've never had this much fun writing a story. Why did it take me so long to get into pure DBZ Fanfiction again?**

 **All that aside, I'm beginning this one about 48 hours after the last one was uploaded. So it should be out soon. Enough out of me, on with the fic!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5 - Circus Break**

* * *

Gohan let out a breath and sat back. It wasn't so much that the work he had to do was difficult, so much as it was time consuming. He already knew all the material, but he had to write it all out by hand, and show all his work to boot. Not hard, but long and tedious.

It had taken him the better part of an hour and a half to finish up, but he had done it. That had been a couple hours beforehand.

The sun was now setting in the sky, leaving it a deep purple, and Gohan was looking out the window, eyes closed in concentration. It took him a while to notice due to what he had to do, but someone was missing.

"Goten, where are you?" he muttered as he extended his senses even further across the planet. Billions of lives were on his radar, powers like Vegeta and Piccolo easily located. But his brother was nowhere to be found.

His mom hadn't had an idea about where his brother had gone either. Last thing she heard was that he was going upstairs to take shower. He had stuck his head in the bathroom to make sure, but Goten sure wasn't in there.

He wanted Goten to come home. He had a habit of getting into trouble, especially if Trunks was involved. And out of all the powers on the planet, he hadn't sensed Trunks either. They could get in some serious trouble, but at the same time, he didn't want him to come home for the exact same reason. He didn't know if Goten could survive their mother's onslaught.

Letting out a sigh, he turned away from the window. He had just searched the entire planet, and Goten was obviously masking his ki. If he was out there, it was impossible to differentiate him from any other normal human being.

Turning around, he let himself flop down on his bed. It was getting late, almost ten at night. He had to sleep soon if he wanted to prepare for another long day. " _You know what? Goten's strong enough that no bad person on this planet could hurt him. The only way he'd be in trouble is if he did something to get on Vegeta's bad side."_ He blanched briefly, wondering if Goten _had_ in fact bothered Vegeta. Looking like a clone of his father wouldn't have helped his chances. " _If worst comes to worst, I kick Vegeta's ass into the ground, and wish Goten back when we wish Buu's memories away."_ He sincerely doubted that the grumpy Saiyan would have done his brother in, so this was more humorous thoughts anyways.

Yawning wide enough to rival a Great Ape, he reached over and switched off his lamp. Another thing that bothered him slightly was that Icarus hadn't returned yet. Icarus' ki signature wasn't large or unique enough for him to track, so he had no way to tell of the dragon was just moving slow, or if he had decided to go home instead of coming back by. If Icarus was able to make it all the way to Korin's Tower in a single night when he was only an infant, then the flight shouldn't take him that long for the purple dragon. It must have just been too late for him, he probably wanted to sleep too.

Gohan rolled over. " _I can't worry about Goten anymore tonight, and I'll be able to see Icarus tomorrow"_ he thought. He closed his eyes. " _Besides, he'll just come home when he's hungry."_

In just a few minutes, he was sound asleep.

* * *

 **?**

* * *

Gohan's eyes snapped open, his body tense. He grew confused, however, when he found himself walking the streets of Satan City. It was busy, many people going on their way down the sidewalks, with vehicles bustling through the streets.

Another moment, and Gohan noticed that he wasn't walking alone. Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner were all beside him, and seemed to be in conversation. He could hear them talking, hear the words they were using, but at the same time, he didn't understand anything they were saying.

"What's going on?" he asked to himself, speaking quietly. He was pretty sure that he wouldn't have fallen asleep at school and woken up walking around the city. How would his body even do it for that long?

He heard his friends laugh, and Sharpner hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Right, Brains, what's that, you having amnesia?" he chuckled.

"What, no, I just-" Gohan began to say, but stopped. He wasn't quite sure about what to say, so he just gave up and shrugged. "Never mind" he said.

The group turned the corner, coming onto another busy street, large buildings towering over both sides of them. They continued to walk and chat, Gohan trying to keep with the situation. They had walked about halfway down the street, when a deep pit formed in Gohan's stomach. His body tensed again, going on high alert.

He barely felt it coming. Moving as fast as he could, he tackled the three others to the ground as a thin wave of purplish pink energy sliced through the air above their heads. There was an ominous creaking sound as the building beside them began to tilt towards them, the building in the direction the attack had come from.

He grabbed the three of them by the collars of their shirts and shot into the air, out of the way. The top half of the building was sliding down towards the street, almost like in the cartoons, a completely flawless cut existing diagonally in the structure. There was a massive crashing sound and a plume of dust, mixed in with the sounds of countless terrified screams as the upper part of the building crumbled to the street.

A combination of a sick feeling in his gut, and an anger that raged through his veins, filled his mind. He seethed at whoever had done this, and his anger clouded his vision just long enough that the next attack almost hit.

A storm of powerful ki blasts raised towards him from all angles. Gasping, he dashed out of the way. With his friends in his hands, he couldn't even try to deflect them for risk of them getting hurt. He flew to the side, weaving between the blasts, unable to stop them as most of them rained down on the street below, detonating and washing it in flames. Buildings burst and began to crumble, shrapnel flying out and increasing the destruction, as towers of flames began to tint the sky red.

Descending to a clear spot in the carnage, he deposited the three, not noticing that they weren't reacting. He looked around for the attacker, for the source of the destruction, but he couldn't see it. When he tried to feel it out, he only grew more confused, as the energy was completely surrounding him.

A blast flew towards him from behind. Feeling it coming, he twisted and batted it into the sky, just before he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Turning back around, he saw a massive stream of green energy bearing towards them. It had come so fast, he had no time to react. It enveloped Sharpner, Erasa, and then Videl, continuing straight for him. He could scarcely raise his arms to block before it hit him and exploded, forcing him backwards.

Arms bruised and bleeding, he lowered them, eyes wide in shock. The entire city around him had disappeared, only rubble remaining, and no signs of any of the life that had been in it. No drivers in their cars, no workers in the buildings, not his friends…

It was as if a cavity opened up in his chest, he completely froze in pain and shock. What, whatever was out there, had just murdered thousands, and he hadn't been able to protect even a single one of them. Not even Sharpner, not Erasa, and not… Not Videl…

The sky glowed red, black clouds hanging in the air. In the glow of the raging flames, he finally saw his adversary. An outline of them, at least. Standing tall, tail whipping through the air, cruel horns spiraling up. He couldn't even make out any details besides that basic shape, yet somehow, he felt that all hope was lost just looking at it. It looked almost familiar, like Super Buu, or maybe even Frieza…

The creature vanished from Gohan's sight, leaving no clue as to where it might have gone. He didn't even feel it reappear behind him, until a hand filled with deadly purple energy pressed its way into his torso. Gasping his head turned around, only making out a pair of sharp, yellow, evil eyes, before the energy washed over him, burning his body away atom by atom…

* * *

Gohan's eyes shot open as he sat bolt upright, a scream bottled in his throat, just barely contained, but a small yelp made itself known. It sounded childish, but that didn't matter. Terror was still seizing his heart.

He panted heavily, clutching his chest where the energy blast had been burning into, his body coated in a cold sweat. "Just a dream, just a dream" he told himself repeatedly, trying to reign in his emotions, but try as he might, the panic wouldn't leave his system.

The sound of hurried footsteps came to his ears, and the door opened up, his mom standing there. "Gohan?" she asked, running over. "Gohan what happened?"

"It's, it's nothing, Mom" he said, panic weaving in with his voice. "I just had a nightmare, is all."

Chi-Chi gave her son a stern look. "Gohan, I'm your mother. Normal nightmares don't wake you up like that" she said. "What really happened?"

"I'm telling you, Mom, it was just a nightmare" Gohan maintained.

"The last time you woke up from a nightmare like this, it was because of Cell" Chi-Chi said. "Was it Buu this time?"

Gohan shook his head. "I, I don't think so" he said.

"You don't think so?" Chi-Chi asked.

"There was some… thing, in the nightmare, but I didn't see what it was" Gohan said, beginning to calm down slightly.

Chi-Chi sat down on the bed next to her son. "Gohan, do you want to tell me what happened in your nightmare?" she asked.

His mom wasn't often the 'hold your hand' type, but right now, he was glad for the comfort. Taking in a breath, he nodded. "Well, when it started, it wasn't really a nightmare" he said. "I woke up walking with my friends Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner through Satan City…"

He went on to explain the nightmare, how it started like that, but then the unknown attacker began to attack, laying waste to the city and killing everyone. He couldn't bring himself to recall the image he had seen of whatever it was, so he left the part about what he saw out. Except, the eyes. No matter what, he couldn't get those eyes out of his head. They seemed as cold as Frieza's, as calculating as Cell's, and as heartless as Buu's had been, all at once. They were the only details, that no matter how hard he tried, he could not rid himself of.

"-And then I just, woke up" Gohan finished. "It was all just a dream, but it felt so real that my mind just wouldn't accept it." He fell silent, having told his mom about it, and rubbed his temples, trying to disperse the images in his head.

Chi-Chi looked at her son, her face now much softer. For all he had experienced, even the image of losing someone close to him still hit him hard. Standing up, she straightened out her clothes. "Gohan, try to go back to sleep for now. Get some rest, alright?"

Gohan nodded. "I'll try, Mom" he said, not sure if he wanted to go back to sleep after his nightmare. He didn't know why it felt so real to him, just, he didn't know.

Laying back down, he tried to adjust into a comfortable position. Head rolling to the side, he immediately sat back up. "Wait, Mom, I can't go back to sleep now!" he said. "I'm already almost late for school!"

The nightmare hadn't seemed to have lasted very long, but it was already almost seven in the morning. If he flew as fast as possible after getting ready, he might just barely stand a chance of getting there on time.

"I know what time it is, Gohan, now lie down" Chi-Chi said, slightly more forcibly.

Gohan gaped at his mother. "Wait, you _want_ me to sleep in and miss school time?" he asked in shock. "Am I still asleep?"

Chi-Chi frowned. "You are not, when you should be" she said. "You, sir, need a day off."

"A day off?" Gohan echoed. "Okay, say I am awake. Who are you and what have you done with my mom?"

"Gohan, enough of your cheek" she said sharply. Her face softened slightly. "As strong as you are, Gohan, you're still a growing boy. You obviously aren't as fine after your last 'adventure' as you thought. Today will be a day of relaxing. No work, no fighting, just recovery. Got it?"

Quite ironically, her tone at the end inspired anything but relaxation. Gulping, Gohan nodded. "Yes ma'am…" he said, pulling the covers up.

"Good" Chi-Chi said. "Now, sleep tight, Goha-"

"Mommy?"

The sudden presence of the squeaky voice in the corner of the room made itself known to the two others, who looked over at the source. Pulling covers up, Goten's spiky head looked blearily around the room. "What are you doing in here, Mommy?"

"Goten?" Gohan asked. "When did you get here?"

"Yes, I would quite like to know the answer to that myself, mister" Chi-Chi said, the anger in her voice _quite_ evident now. "Goten, why did you leave last night?"

Goten tried to hide under the covers a bit more. "I'm sorry, Mom, me and Trunks went to go play, and we didn't know it was getting late."

"I'll be having a word with Bulma later about letting Trunks drag you into that kind of stunt" Chi-Chi grouched. "Goten, next time, let me know before you go. We were both worried about you."

"Ok, Mommy" Goten said.

Chi-Chi sighed. "And I guess that takes care of the other problem. You two, sleep as long as you need. I'll have breakfast ready whenever you wake up."

"Thanks Mom" Gohan said.

"Thank you!" Goten chirped.

Nodding, Chi-Chi walked out and closed the door behind her. Once it was shut and she had walked away, Gohan looked over at his brother. "So, I'm guessing that you were plotting to go play with Trunks on the phone when I left?"

"Heh heh, yeah" Goten chuckled bashfully.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "You're going to get in serious trouble one of these days, Goten. One time, I left with Grandpa, just for a couple hours in the middle of the day. Boy, did I get an earful when we came back." He paused. "Well, Grandpa got it worse than me, but that was only because it was his idea."

"Poor Grandpa" Goten said. "Okay, Gohan, I'll ask first in the future."

"Good" Gohan said, looking back up at the ceiling. His mom told him to go to sleep, but his eyes wouldn't close. Rest would have been good, but his body didn't want to go back to sleep. He didn't want to see those images again.

"Big brother, Mom was saying you were having a nightmare?" Goten's voice spoke up.

" _Almost like he was reading my mind"_ Gohan thought. "Yeah. But that's all it was. Just a bad dream." For some reason, as he said those words, his mind rejected them, made him feel like they were lies. " _What was that?"_

"Oh…" Goten said, leaning back and looking at the ceiling himself.

The two brothers sat in silence for a few minutes, neither of them doing anything, nor falling back asleep. Gohan, realizing his mom wouldn't let him come out so soon, came up with something to pass the time.

"Hey Goten?"

"Yeah?"

"Want to do some image training?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright then."

* * *

Videl looked around in confusion. "Where's Gohan at?" she asked.

School had started almost fifteen minutes ago, and while Gohan had a track record of arriving late, it was never more than by a few minutes.

Sharpner nodded. "I'm right there with you" he agreed. "Brains wouldn't miss school unless he was also missing all his limbs. Even then, he would probably find a way to make it."

Exaggerations on Sharpner's part aside, Videl agreed with his sentiment. Gohan hadn't missed a day of school yet, as short of a time as he had been attending, and from what she knew about him, he wouldn't miss a day for the world, either. He _was_ dedicated to his education.

Videl almost didn't attend today either. And now, the one reason she _did_ was absent.

She had been up quite late, mulling over every little tidbit of information she could find and knew about. She did as much digging as she could, but still couldn't find any information on the fighter Son Goku beyond his final encounter with the Demon King Piccolo. She did find a couple small pieces of information, such as the fact that one of the most inspiring fighters to enter the tournament, Anonymous, had ran off with Goku following the tournament, presumably they got married. At this point, Saiyaman had two parents who were quite powerful and had a good amount of fans. There was still no hard evidence that Gohan was there son, as there could be any other family on the planet with the surname 'Son.' But she doubted any other possibility. It all fit, the way it was laid out.

She hadn't come up with any surefire way to catch Saiyaman off guard yet, which was why she was counting on Gohan to be at school that day. She still planned to try her hardest to catch him in his trash suited glory, but any extra tidbits she could wriggle out of him would be useful. But the spiky-haired teen hadn't even bothered to show up for class!

Luckily, class was slow going today, so she didn't have to pay too much attention. She was exhausted from her research the previous night. She was about ready to lay her head on the desk and close her eyes, and it took all her willpower to not.

Sighing, she resigned herself back to the paper in front of her. One way or another, she'd make it through the day alright. Of course, she was having enough trouble focusing as is. It was a bit more difficult to do work when there was conversation going on all around her. Couldn't people talk about a new attraction at the circus or whatever after class?

* * *

Goten's head jerked back, hitting the headboard with a painful smack as he let out a groan. Gohan opened his eyes as well and looked over at his brother. "Sorry about that, Goten" he apologised.

Even through their image training, Goten hadn't been much of a chance against his older brother. It all ended when Gohan got behind him and took him down with a swift blow to the neck. The shock caused him to flinch in his bed, and what resulted followed.

Goten rubbed his head. "It's not fair, Gohan, no matter how much I train, you're just way too strong" he complained.

"Hey, don't be mad, squirt" Gohan said. "Look at what you have done. I mean, I trained and trained and trained for a threat to the Earth, and was a prodigy, and didn't become a Super Saiyan until I was twelve. You're almost ten, and you became a Super Saiyan quite a while ago. Now THAT'S impressive. Not to mention, the only reason I have my power that I do now is because the Old Kai unlocked it all for me. That's kind of an advantage I have."

"So you're saying that if I got the Old Guy to unlock me, I'd be as strong as you?" Goten asked hopefully.

"Er…" Gohan paused. That one was a bit trickier. "That all depends on you, Goten, I had all my power, he just brought it out. So if you have the power in you, then he'll be able to bring it out too."

"Oh" Goten said, sounding like he understood.

Gohan sat up and threw off his covers. "Well, we've probably 'slept' long enough, why don't we get some breakfast?"

Goten was almost out the door by the time he finished saying the word 'breakfast.' Looking over at the clock, he saw that it read almost eleven clock. Holy Kami! Were he and Goten seriously image training for almost five hours? Time really flies…

Getting up, he went out after Goten, heading towards the kitchen to soothe his growling stomach. For how much Goten complained, though, he had really put up a good fight. It was a lot better than anything he had expected from his little brother. He had done well.

Although…

He rubbed the side of his head again. He couldn't help but be distracted for a lot of their little mental spar. Maybe that helped Goten out, he didn't know, but he just couldn't get that nightmare out of his head. All the carnage, the destruction… It wouldn't leave him be. It was as if his body was actively searching for the threat in real life.

Walking into the kitchen, he tried to put his brooding aside. Smiling he greeted his mom good morning, and sat down at the table, ready to tuck into the spread that had been set out there.

For the sake of those of you unfamiliar with Saiyan eating habits, the gory details will be spared. Suffice to say, for how fast it disappeared, it might of well have been blasted with a Super Kamehameha from Gohan himself. The monstrous mountain of chow was no match for the two demi-Saiyans. Even Goten seemed to be attacking it fiercer than normal.

"Geez, Goten, if you don't slow down, you're gonna puke" Gohan chuckled.

"But it tastes _so_ good, it feels like it's been forever since I had Mom's food" Goten responded.

"Yeah, you did miss dinner last night" Gohan noted, knowing how long even missing a single meal could feel like.

"Heh heh" Goten laughed as he continued to plow through the food.

Five minutes. Five minutes later, food was done, dishes were washed, and the table was clear. No leftovers. The bottomless pits that the two boys called their stomachs were sated for the moment.

With their mess taken care of, Gohan and Goten walked into the living room, where Goten jumped onto the couch, wanting to watch some T.V. Gohan turned to go back to his room. He planned to go grab his gi and do some training, work off some energy. As he made to leave the room, however, his mother's words came back to him.

" _No work, no fighting, just recovery"_ she had told him. He didn't desire to be on the end of her wrath any more than Goten did, and he had a feeling that going out to train violated all three categories she set for him.

Making a split second decision, he changed his course and went towards his brother on the couch, and sat down next to him. "So, squirt, what are we watching?" he asked.

Goten gave his older brother a huge grin. "It's my favorite cartoon!" he chirped happily.

Chuckling lightly, Gohan leaned back and tried to watch the show that Goten enjoyed so much. He tried to pay attention, but a couple things got in the way. Besides still unable to forget his dream, the show was just a bit too unrealistic. Like, come on, an entire planet of aliens that all looked like various monsters in Earth culture? But, that was the minor part of it.

Gohan zoned out a bit as he retreated into his thoughts. He tried to dissect his nightmare. He didn't get a very good look at the antagonist, sure, but he was beginning to try and understand everything. He was no psychologist, but he knew a thing or two about dreams.

" _Maybe the reason it felt so real, was because it was so many experiences I've had in the past mixed together?"_ he pondered. His friends dying, well, he had experienced that too many times for comfort. The monster that had appeared, from what he saw, was almost exactly like Buu's Super form, except for the horns. The more he thought about it, it almost seemed like it had been Super Buu combined with Frieza's second form. Slightly wider, a jagged torso outline that suggested armor, and horns… It fit.

His mind was still freaking out a bit from what had happened just recently. Between the entire Earth being wiped out, he himself dying alongside it, and Buu's rampage, it made sense. Maybe his mom was right, the experience did more to him than he cared to admit, or felt. " _It was just a stress dream"_ Gohan thought with conviction. Somehow, his body didn't believe him…

* * *

An hour or two passed, and Gohan grew bored of the couch. He didn't like the feeling of being still when he wasn't able to focus on something. Sadly, Goten's choice of television didn't entertain him much.

Standing up, Gohan made for the door. Seeing him walk away, Goten bounced to his feet. "Where are you going, big brother?" he asked.

"I'm gonna go see Icarus" Gohan said.

"Icarus!" Goten exclaimed. "Wow, I haven't seen Icarus in forever!"

"Well, I saw him the other day when Buu was over" Gohan said. "He did me a favor and carried Buu home when Mom told me I had homework to do, but he never came back. I'm guessing he went home because it was getting late. So, I figured I'd drop by and play with him for a while."

"Oh, okay" Goten said. "Hurry back then, Gohan, I don't want to be alone for too long."

Their mom had left to do some shopping at the nearest village a while back, leaving the two boys alone. Gohan hesitated briefly, knowing Goten would literally not have a soul in sight, but he figured that the young tyke couldn't get into too much trouble if he was distracted by the television. Nodding, he gave Goten a wave. "Alright, bro, see you in a little while."

Stepping out the door, Gohan darted into the sky, flying high above his house to the point where the entirety of the area for several miles around was revealed. Acres of forests, several large mountains, with lakes and streams in between, all beneath him.

He floated in the air for a moment, getting his bearings. He turned in the direction where he and Buu flew off to the other day. "Icarus came at us because he felt threatened. Our fight must have been out of normal for the area, which meant for him to have known that, he would be living somewhere nearby." Of course, nearby was a relative term when you were flying back and forth over the forest at the speeds he and Buu had been going at, but it gave him an area. Besides, Icarus was a huge honking dragon, how hard could it be to miss him?

White aura flaring up around him, Gohan began moving rapidly towards their battlegrounds of the previous day. Taking but a moment, he found the small platform that they had started out on, and decided to set down there. It gave him a good vantage point.

He surveyed the area. Deciding to give the easy method a try, he took a deep breath, brought his hands to his mouth, and let out a shout. "ICARUS! ARE YOU THERE, BUDDY?!"

A flock of birds scattered from the trees at the booming of his voice, nearly shaking the mountain he was on. Lowering his arms, he looked around. A few moments passed, and there was no sign of the purple dragon. He shrugged. "Well, I doubted that one would work anyways" he admitted to himself. Jumping off of the platform, Gohan descended into the forest, landing on the soft earth beneath the trees.

On ground level, Gohan closed his eyes and became completely still, except for the steady rise and fall of his chest. He willed his senses to broaden, spreading across the entire land. A flood of reception entered his senses, every little lifeform, from the miniscule, almost impossible to sense energies from the ants in the ground, to the much easier ki signals from large animals such as the deer that wandered the forest. His radar kept spreading wider, and wider, and his eyes snapped open as he felt a signal that was massive compared to its surroundings.

Grinning, he ran off in the direction of the signal he felt. Weaving between the trees, he made straight for it, rapidly approaching the energy. Winding around the final corner, he recognized the space he had stepped into as the one Icarus had charged out of when he first attacked him and Buu. He was ready to greet his friend, but stopped short when he entered the clearing.

There was not one, but _two_ dragons in the clearing. And neither of them were Icarus. One of them was slightly smaller than Icarus, with a light blue color to its scales. The horns were shorter, and the top ones curved forward, rather than backwards. The other dragon was obviously an infant, slightly smaller than Icarus had been when he first met him, and with dark indigo colored scales.

As he entered the clearing, the larger of the two, the blue dragon, raised its head in the air and sniffed. Growling, it wheeled at Gohan. From the tone of the growl, he guessed that the dragon was female. He quickly came to a halt, not wanting to appear threatening. Her sharp green eyes bore into his own, and he did his best to relax his muscles, willing himself to appear smaller.

The female dragon growled again, briefly turning away from Gohan to sniff the ground. Raising her head back at him, she sniffed again, and growled much louder than before.

Gohan blinked. He recognized the pattern that the dragon was going through. She was searching for something, and judging by the circumstances, and the area, he had a good idea about what the dragon was searching for.

"You're looking for Icarus, aren't you?" Gohan asked, loud enough for the dragon to hear.

The dragon's growl lessened slightly as she studied Gohan. Dragon's may have been animals, but they were among the most intelligent. Gohan could tell that she recognized the name, which gave him an idea. "Wait, you must be Icarus' mate" Gohan realized. "Which means, that that little guy must be Icarus' child."

He had no idea that Icarus had started a family, but considering the situation, and the way the female dragon kept reacting every time the word 'Icarus' left his mouth, it seemed obvious.

Gohan frowned. If they were out here, searching for Icarus somewhere he had been the day before, that meant that Icarus wasn't anywhere nearby. He hadn't returned to his house, and he hadn't gone home. Where did that mean he went.

"Did Icarus make it to Satan City, or did he get lost…" Gohan mused aloud. It was a bit worrying, the dragon had known where to go, and should have had more than enough strength to make it there and make a return trip.

He looked off in the direction of Satan City, floating into the air. Dashing off, he began to fly towards the city, keeping his speed down so that he wasn't prevented from seeing the ground below.

The earth flew past him as he made his way through the air. The trees began to clear out, and he saw that he had already made it back to his home. Frowning, he pumped extra energy into his legs, beginning to move faster…

A yellow blur darted in front of him, hitting him in the chest and stopping him in his tracks. He stared in shock down at his brother turned Super Saiyan who was clutching him as if his life depended on it. "Whoa, Goten, what is it!?" he asked.

"Gohan, you have to come quick, it's terrible!" Goten exclaimed.

Gohan sighed internally. " _Great, what kind of mess did he make this time?"_ he wondered. "Lead the way, Goten" he said.

Goten didn't waste time, turning in the air and diving towards the house, which was a little ways away now. He found himself slightly shocked by Goten's speed. " _Since when did he get so much faster?"_

Landing right behind his brother just as he ran into the house, he followed him in, ready for the mess to great him. His confusion grew when the house was spotless. "There's nothing wrong here?" he asked.

Goten shook his head. "No, Gohan, not here, come _here!_ "

Goten pulled on his older brother with surprising force, leading him into the living room. Gohan almost stumbled from force Goten was exerting, and he came to a stop right in front of the television.

"Look, Gohan, look!" Goten cried out.

Gohan raised his hands in defense. "Okay, alright, geez Goten, I'll look just calm dow-" Gohan suddenly found his voice cut off as he did as his little brother asked.

Goten no longer had any cartoon on screen, it was live feed from a circus performance. There was a massive crowd surrounding the ring, spilling out so far that it would have been surprising if the outermost people could see anything going on inside of the ring. But Gohan could see. Gohan could clearly see what was inside.

A large, scared purple dragon was standing in the center. Turquoise eyes wide with fear, heavy chain wrapped around his snout, and a red band laced around the base of each wing…

Icarus.

Icarus, in a circus. He was completely terrified, and Gohan swore he saw pain in his eyes. His wings, why were they just hanging there, Icarus could fly away if he chose two. Only, what was with that angle they were hanging at…

Goten backed away as slowly as he could as the house began to tremor. A clattering noise came from the kitchen as plates in the cupboard were rattled around. Gohan's fists were clenched tight as sparks began to shoot across his body. Goten was a little scared of his brother's reaction, and for a split second, he could have sworn he saw a teal flash in his brother's eyes.

The tremors stopped, and Gohan wheeled on the spot, making it to the door of his room in a flash. Goten ran after him. "Wait, big brother, what are you doing?" he asked. He rounded the corner just in time to see Gohan slip his watch onto his wrist.

"I'm going to get Icarus back, and make sure no one gets in my way doing it" Gohan said, anger evident in his voice. Pressing the button on his watch, he transformed into his green tunic and orange helmet. Almost too fast for even him to track, the window was thrown open and Gohan was gone. By the time he had fully caught up with the speed, Gohan was but a small black speck in the distance.

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

Gohan made the trip in record time, jumping from his house to the outermost buildings of Satan City within five seconds. Settling down on the nearest rooftop, he took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself. As angry as he was, and as much as he wanted to make sure whoever did it paid, he also didn't want to do anything he'd regret.

Having taken a brief moment to calm himself, Gohan launched back into the air, hanging high above the city as he surveyed it through his visor. Quickly finding the large purple canopy of the circus tent, he flew to the nearest clear spot nearby, landed, and removed his suit. Stepping out, wearing a baggy long-sleeve green shirt and black pants, he tried to blend in with the crowd that was entering the circus. Paying up while resisting the taste of bile at the thought, he got his ticket and made his way inside the tent.

Making his way through the crowd, he managed to work his way close enough to get a clear view of the ring, and his stomach dropped.

For everything he saw on the screen, the details were much worse in person. He doubted anyone else in the whole place had keen enough eyes to notice, but Icarus was in terrible shape. Icarus' eyes darted around nervously, like a caged animal ready to pounce. Around his snout, beyond the chain, which appeared to be barbed to further deter him from moving, there were several scratch marks. His wings were folded, not by choice. They had fixed some creation to him, that had pierced through each wing near the tip, and tied the two together beneath him. But further beyond that, the wings were being held at an unnatural angle, and a close look showed that near the base of each wing, at the joint, that there were injuries.

Gohan saw red. He felt like tearing whoever had done this limb from limb, a very Saiyan emotion he didn't experience often. His friend had not only been captured against his will, but abused heavily as well. A faint wind picked up around Gohan, one that thankfully, none of the crowd noticed. However, someone apart from the crowd did.

Icarus caught sight of him, green eyes locking with his own. Gohan gave a sympathetic smile. 'Icarus, I'm coming to help. Do what they want for now to keep from getting hurt, I'll bust you out when there's a chance' he sent the telepathic message. Rather than put all his effort into exerting those exact words, he worked on the sentiment behind them. As intelligent as Icarus was, he didn't completely grasp human language.

Icarus blinked, and visibly relaxed, even if only just slightly, and Gohan breathed easier for it, knowing that his friend had gotten the message. Icarus froze almost completely, stopping struggling. " _If he can keep this up, just until he's done, I can spring him"_ Gohan thought with conviction. " _Just hang in there."_

Looking around, he tried to locate where the boss of the show might be at. He noticed an entrance in the back of the tent, but that probably just led to the backstage. Which meant, since that was the only opening, that the main office was probably somewhere else. He would have to sweep the surroundings as Saiyaman, then see about being diplomatic.

Making his plan, Gohan turned on the spot and made his way back through the crowd, doing his best not to hurt anyone on accident. He stumbled outside and walked off, back off to the spot where he had landed. Covering himself in the alley, he pressed the button on his watch, phasing back into his Saiya-Suit before leaving the ground once again.

Hovering in the air, he studied the area. Surrounding the main tent, there were several smaller structures, small buildings, almost like movie set trailers without wheels. Locating the largest one, he hazarded a guess that that would be where the boss was.

Descending quickly, Gohan landed in between two of the structures, safely out of sight, before transforming back and walking out. He made his way towards the larger building and opened the door, surprising the man who was sitting inside. A rather short round man, in an expensive looking suit, nearly fell out of his chair as he came in.

"Hey, whadda yous doing here?" he demanded in a somewhat angry tone. "Didn my people try an' stop ya?"

"I didn't see anyone outside" Gohan said evenly.

"Oh, them lugheads is gonna get a pay cut for this one" the man grumbled.

Gohan cleared his throat. "So, are you the manager of this circus?" he asked.

"Yeah, kid, I'm Mr. Musuka" he said. "Is that all ya' came here to bother me for?"

Gohan frowned. He could tell from the man's tone (besides the fact that he was busy counting stacks of money) that he wasn't the negotiable sort. Still, he had to try.

"Well, sir, I wanted to take to you about that dragon you acquired recently" Gohan said.

"Whaddyou got to do with Rocko?" Musuka asked him.

" _Rocko? What kinda name is that?"_ Gohan thought, frowning. "Well, the dragon, he doesn't appear to be in good health. He's terrified and wounded, and you keep parading him around. I believe that that's classified as animal abuse."

Musuka rolled his eyes. "Listen up, kid, show me the letter of da' law on dragon care, then we'll continue this conversation."

Gohan began to feel quite annoyed with this little man. "Okay, Musuka, let's get down to the law. How did you acquire your dragon? I'm sure such rare animals must have a dozen preservation laws, especially against poaching."

"No poachin' about it, found this thing wounded in the outskirts of the city" Musuka said.

" _That's a blatant lie, you pig"_ Gohan thought with enough force to kill him should it become tangible. Icarus wouldn't even be in a position to be injured in such a way, considering his route. This _cretin_ attacked Icarus to keep him from getting away.

He narrowed his eyes. He couldn't prove that Musuka was telling a lie, so he changed tact again. "I happen to have seen this dragon living far away from here, sir, so the odds of it coming all the way here are slim to none" he stretched the truth a bit. "It has a family and everything, are you really going to steal a father from a family."

Musuka stood up. "Now listen here, runt, these are animals! A-N-I-M-A-L-S. They don't cares about their families, they won't even notice that they're gone. I ain't hurtin nobody!"

"With all-" Gohan began.

"Get outta my office before I call the cops on ye' for trespassing" Musuka said threateningly.

" _How bad would it be if I just blasted him? It would be quick and painless"_ Gohan thought, before internally making a face. " _I need to stop spending time with Vegeta."_

Turning around, Gohan walked from the room, keeping a cap on his anger. Closing the door behind him, he let out a sigh. "Some people just can't be reasoned with" he muttered. Making sure no one was in sight, he flashed into the air, making sure he was out of sight before phasing into his suit.

He looked down at the tent. "Icarus is probably going to be forced to be in the ring until the end of the performance" he reasoned. "Once they take a break, I'll wait for a moment where activity inside is low, then I'll grab Icarus and we can get on home. Buddy, just hold on for a little while. I'm coming for you."

He hung in the air for another hour, never wavering. He was high enough up that no one could see him unless they were in a plane, which he could sense coming if there was. He floated in the same spot, meditating to pass the time. A little while after the last person left the tent, he opened his eyes again. Looking down at the tent, he felt out, finding very few human life forms still present inside.

Satisfied, he slowly flew down from the sky. Most of the signals that he felt were animals, with humans being sparingly spaced throughout the tent. The largest signal by far came from Icarus, who had a single human energy near him.

" _I need to get whoever that is out of the way"_ he thought. He dropped just outside of the tent, close to where he felt the dragon, and stealthily moved beneath the flap, going into the tent.

Ducking behind some boxes, he saw a man, dressed like a guard, sitting close to the center of the room, looking bored.

Frowning and apologizing mentally, Gohan shot forward and lightly tapped some pressure points on the man's back. He went rigid, then fell forward, unconscious.

" _He probably wasn't involved and he didn't deserve that. I hope he doesn't ache at all after that"_ Gohan thought, before turning towards Icarus, who was looking at the young Saiyan with a confused look in his eyes.

"Hey there, Icarus" Gohan said lowly, making sure no one else in the tent could hear him. Walking towards the dragon, he picked his helmet up off of his head so that Icarus could see that it was him. "I'm here to bust you out, just give me a second."

The dragon seeming happy, Gohan put his helmet back on and got to work. Studying Icarus' bindings, he noted the muzzle, the band holding the wings, and chains around each leg and tail. "Ok, I think I can do this" he muttered, looking down at his hand.

He had vague recollections of the fight through Buu's eyes once he had been absorbed. Vegito had done something, a ki blade, a technique he had never heard of before. Trying to remember what it had looked like, he held his hand out in a knifehand stance, with the three middle fingers fully extended, and the thumb and pinky beneath. Aiming at the ground just in case, he began to channel ki into his hand.

The results were instant. A rather long blade-shaped blast flowed out of his hand, piercing into the ground. Eyes widening, he reduced the ki flow to almost nonexistent levels. The blade shortened, retracting from the earth and coming to a stop at about a foot's length.

" _So how much power you put in is how long it gets"_ Gohan realized. Keeping the ki even, he turned back to Icarus. Grabbing the shackle around his nearest leg, he pulled it away ever so slightly, and cut downwards.

The blade cut through the metal like a hot knife through butter, severing the manacle in two and falling off. Grinning, Gohan quickly went around, cutting off each chain on his legs and tail and separating his wings, carefully removing the beams that had pierced them and the bands that held his wings down. Floating up, he did the same to the muzzle on Icarus' mouth, completely freeing the dragon.

Floating backwards, he gave Icarus a chance to stretch. Front paws moved way forward, but Icarus yelped as he attempted to extend his wings.

" _His wings must be broken, or just about so"_ Gohan thought. " _This isn't good. It's going to be a lot more difficult without being able to fly."_ He might be able to carry Icarus, but his size would make it difficult to make sure he didn't hurt his friend in any way, be it dropping him or grabbing a wounded area on accident.

"Icarus, can you still run?" Gohan asked. The dragon looked back, unblinking, and gave a low rumble, one that Gohan interpreted as a 'yes.' "Alright, then we better move quickly" he said.

Making sure no one was coming their way, and that the guard was still safely unconscious, he ran over to the wall of the tent he had come in from. Willing a small amount more ki into his hand, the blade extended to about a yard out. Swinging the blade, the plasticy fabric fell away and left an opening large enough for Icarus to get through. Waving him after, he flew out of the hole he had made, and waited for Icarus to follow him. Grabbing the fallen sheet, he held it up to the edge of the hole. Grabbing both the edge and the sheet, he heated his hand with ki until the two pieces fused back together. Moving quickly, he resealed the entire flap, and turned back to Icarus. "We're in the clear, let's move buddy."

Flying low, Gohan moved as fast as Icarus could handle, making their way out of the circus grounds and onto a nearby backstreet. Since it was the middle of the day, most of the houses were empty, and he was able to move quickly through the street without raising an alarm. Icarus was heavy, but managed to gallop in such a way that his audio presence was minimal.

Once they had made it to a fairly empty spot, Gohan slowed for a minute and concentrated. Locating Goten's ki, he got a basic idea of which way out of the city they'd have to go. Looking over at Icarus, he smiled and scratched the dragon between his top horns, an old favorite spot of his. "Give me just a second, Icarus. I'm going to fly up and try to find a good way out of this city." They had been lucky so far, but a dragon wasn't exactly going to be able to blend into the bustling midday city. Let alone once they noticed Icarus was gone.

As he flew up, he had a brief moment of panic, wondering if Musuka would be able to piece together his freeing the dragon with his confrontation of him earlier. That fatcat could potentially spill his secret identity if he put the pieces together. Hopefully, his facade of looking weak would push that scenario from his mind.

Hovering in the air, he took a brief glance around the city. Finding a decent route, he flew back down. "There's a large park running through the city" he told the dragon. "If we make our way there and stick to the trees, we could get most of the way out without being seen. Can you get through a forest with your wings right now?"

Icarus locked eyes with Gohan and nodded. "Alright, then let's get going."

* * *

 **Orange Star High School**

* * *

Videl was jolted out of a near slumber state by the shrill ringing of her communicator going off. Shaking off her grogginess, she answered the call. "This is Videl, over" she said.

"Videl, we've got a case on our hands, assault and theft" the voice of the police chief came on through. "Apparently, the circus' new dragon was stolen at lunch break today. The guard stationed there was found unconscious."

"Wait, a dragon?" Videl asked incredulously. "You're kidding me."

"The circus acquired it recently, today was the first day it was part of the act" the chief affirmed.

"Wait, the dragon was stolen?" Sharpner asked. "Aw, man! I heard about it, I was really looking forward seeing it later today."

"Chief, we are talking about a dragon here" Videl said. "How do we know it didn't escape and knock a head or two on the way out." She had never seen a live dragon, nor heard of one being anywhere within a few hundred miles of the city, but a large powerful reptile would surely be capable of something like that.

"Negative. According to Mr. Musuka, the dragon was bound, and the chains holding it were cut perfectly" he shot down that theory. "The guard has not even been bruised, so it wasn't an impact that knocked him out. I've got a feeling that we're dealing with a pro here."

"Roger that, chief" Videl said, standing up. She didn't even need to ask her question, the teacher was already holding the door open for her. Nodding her thanks, she ran out to the roof and tossed her jetcopter down. Taking to the air, she turned back to her communicator. "If we're dealing with a dragon, couldn't it have flown away by now?"

"Again, according to Musuka, the dragon was also in no condition to fly. Its wings had been injured sometime prior to its performance today" the chief replied. "If it's being smuggled away, the odds are it's still in the city."

"I see" Videl said. "Get eyes around town, then. Halt every semi and cargo truck for inspection. Chances are great that they're using a vehicle to get the dragon away."

"Roger that, Videl" the chief said.

"I'm on my way" she said, cutting the connection.

* * *

 **BET YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT ONE COMING! Ok, one of you did. Really, good job, I didn't think that I left a single clue that would have let you guess that, but somehow you did. Kudos, Guest.**

 **So onto the content. Gohan had quite the nightmare, eh? It's probably just PTSD induced… Maybe. Instinctually, he's not so sure. And Goten randomly came back and surprised Gohan a couple times with speed and strength. Most of you already guessed it, but I'll refrain from outright saying it. And, of course, Icarus takes the place of Chobi as the victim of Mr. Musuka's greed. How Musuka captured a giant dragon? Next chapter, folks. And with Videl on the way, it's sure to be a doozy.**

 **Before I go, I'll go ahead and answer you guys real fast.**

 **Guest - well, Icarus really just carried Buu there and dropped him off. Dragons are intelligent, he knows to not land somewhere out in the open.**

 **Aiwataru1 - we'll just have to see, won't we?**

 **RainGain - maybe I teased a bit at the future here. I have plans, which may or may not be along the lines of something you mentioned**

 **Delais Starlight - I don't know, don't you feel like Gohan would have been able to sense to two in the gravity chamber, exerting themselves like that**

 **ShadowMaster71 - Buu has always been a powerhouse, just less so after he became purely good. If that recent episode of Super didn't remind people of that, I aim to**

 **Mineng101 - yeah, the basis here is that after his potential was unlocked and he went through the fight with Buu, he's a bit more mature and serious. He's still loving the costume, because that's who he is, but poses are a bit unnecessary now for his current character**

 **Guest - nice catch**

 **TheGodfather93 - well that was quite the smile inducing review :D. I don't plan to go too in depth on the Tao debacle, the job was simply a matter of 'all politicians have enemies.' And Yeah, I'll know little things like that. I'm the kind of guy that reads wikis for fun. And the Hercule thing, I'm no martial arts instructor, and I couldn't think of any other way to test fighting skills then actually seeing them in action. Plus, he was a little shaken and needed some recovery time. I'm glad you've enjoyed about everything up to this point.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed, and if you did, please drop a review on the way out. Until the next time!**

 **And enjoy the more peaceful antics while they last...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yes, those mushrooms haven't kicked in yet, I'm really updating. I know it's been a few months, and I'm sorry for that. I truly enjoy writing this story, I really do. I've just had a lot of compounding factors going on keeping me from working, between a bad case of writer's block, stress, school, and family, I basically didn't type more than a sentence for a good two months (a good half or so of this won was done in early May).**

 **But, anyways, I'm back, I'm on break, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to write a lot more now. So, let's get back to it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - Escape from the City**

* * *

There was a quiet sucking sound as the jet copter reverted back to its capsule state. Grabbing the small object off the ground, Videl planted it in her pocket before turning around to face the tent. Standing out front, the police chief awaited her alongside a short, round man in expensive indigo clothing.

"I got here as fast as I could, chief" Videl said, walking up to the man in charge of the division. "Anything you didn't tell me over the communicator."

"Afraid not, Videl, you know everything we know for now" the chief said.

"I want to take a look at the crime scene" Videl stated.

"Roger that" the chief nodded. "Mr. Musuka, please lead Videl to where you were keeping the dragon."

"Yeah alright, she'd better find something though" Musuka huffed, turning around and walking off into the tent.

Starting off after him, Videl felt a twinge of annoyance at the man's attitude. Right off the bat, he came off as super abrasive, demanding results. They served the people, they weren't their maids.

The circus was still going on inside, so Musuka lead her through some back passages, eventually coming to a stop a good ways from the main arena. It was a rather large enclosure in the tent. She could see where chains had been nailed to the ground, and a low ring on the floor surrounding them, presumably where the dragon had been limited to.

Brow furrowing, she walked ahead to examine the area. Several ropes, chains, and the like, laid severed on the floor. But what really caught her eye was the way they were severed. Picking up the end of one chain, she noted how perfectly smooth the cut was.

"Now that's strange..." she muttered. No matter what tool used, there should have been some sort of mark. Warped metal if the chains were burned through with a blowtorch. Jagged or uneven spots if it was cut through by anything else, and the cut wouldn't line up so symetrical if the chain was just broken.

It wasn't a clue, at least not a real one, but the circumstances certainly were strange. She couldn't think of any tool or tech capable of such a perfect break. Standing up, she began to look around the rest of the area. She saw scuff marks leading across the earthen floor, leading to the edge of the tent, where they stopped by the wall.

She looked back at the small man. "How big would you say your dragon was?" she asked.

"We didn't have no exact measurements, but probably abouts nine feet tall, standing up, a good four or five feet across, without its wingspan, and probably close to twenty feet long" Musuka said.

"Not gargantuan, but too big to fit under the tent" Videl summarized, studying the wall. Noticing a faint odor in the air, she tried to pinpoint it. It almost smelled like… Burnt rubber?

Feeling the wall of the tent, she could tell that it wasn't just cloth, but rather, a sturdy woven plastic. She started feeling along the tent, and came to a stop when she felt a discrepancy. Her idea confirmed, she nodded.

"Well, I think I know how they got away" she said, tapping the tent. "It's only a hunch, but they probably cut an opening in the tent large enough to fit your dragon through and sealed it back up, probably using heat to seal the material." She gave Musuka a look. "Any idea on how they smuggled the dragon out, though? Something tells me that a dragon wouldn't just go with anyone quietly."

"My man that was here got knocked out" Musuka said. "The hooligans who did this probably had some sort of sedative to knock 'em out, both the dragon and my man."

"Sedatives, huh?" Videl asked. It wasn't a bad idea. It explained a lot. Yet dragons weren't exactly common creatures. Maybe not quite myths anymore, but far from an everyday animal. Knowing the proper dosage could be tough. However, she didn't know the resources the criminals had at their disposal.

Lifting up the tent flap, Videl made her way to the other side of the way that had been fused. The tracks soon disappeared in the grass, but there were marks on the dirt out here as well. "This is where the trail goes cold…" she said dejectedly. She loved a challenge, but losing a trail so early on was always disheartening.

Raising her watch to her wrist, she called the chief back. "Chief, we need to set up a watch around the city" she said. "All officers be on the lookout for any semis or vehicles with comparable storage space, and search them. We'll probably find our dragon being smuggled out that way."

"Did you find a lead, Videl?" the chief asked.

"I found out how the dragon was gotten out of the tent, but not much else" Videl said. "We need to find the way the dragon is being moved out of the city, though. After all, it's not like a wild dragon is just going to follow whoever took it of its own free will."

* * *

Gohan darted through the trees of the city park, Icarus bounding along behind him, smile on his face. The grass did much to pad the sounds of Icarus' heavy body running through the woods, and luckily, the park seemed empty.

Floating around another tree, Gohan turned back in the air to make sure he wasn't losing his friend. Icarus galloped through the trees, only slowing to avoid crashing through them. Satisfied that he was keeping up, Gohan turned back around, only to slow himself as they neared a clearing. Coming to a stop, he lightly dropped to the ground, Icarus slowing behind him.

Scanning the area, he couldn't see anyone in sight. On an energetical level, he couldn't sense any human energies here either. Satisfied, he began to run across the clearing, but he found himself slowing down as Icarus started falling behind. Looking behind him puzzledly, hd saw that Icarus was seeming to be moving a bit tenderly.

He landed back on the ground by his friend, eyeing him carefully. Icarus looked up, eyes appearing to display what looked like a combination of fatigue and fear.

He willed the energy within his body to flow to his hand, which he laid upon Icarus, and let it flow out. The light glow began to light up around the dragon, and his labored breathing began to fade a bit as Icarus' energy was restored.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked Icarus. The purple dragon looked at him and nodded. "Good, then we need to keep moving."

Gohan began to walk away from Icarus, yet found himself stopping yet again as Icarus became hesitant to follow. The dragon took a step forward, then pawed at the ground, moving back and hanging his head low.

Thinking as hard as he could, Gohan tried to analyze the behavior he was witnessing. Icarus seemed almost scared of the clearing, and it couldn't be that he was tired, because he just helped restore the dragon's energy himself.

Icarus looked across the clearing, sniffing at the ground and the air before looking behind him, back from where they came. Gohan's eyes widened. It might have been a bit of a longshot, but maybe…

"Maybe this was where they caught you…" Gohan muttered. As strong as his friend was, he probably needed to rest after a flight as long as the one from Mount Pazou to Satan City. "Icarus, did you set down here, and then those people with the circus came at you?"

Icarus locked eyes with him, and he could tell from the body language that he must at least be on the right track. He didn't know how they would have known about Icarus, or just had the means to capture him on hand, but he supposed that would have to wait. For now, they really needed to make it out of the city as quick as possible.

"Icarus, listen" Gohan said, removing his Saiyaman helmet. "As long as I'm here, I won't let a single person hurt you. We've been friends ever since we were both just little kids, do you really think that if there was something trying to hurt you, I'd just let it?"

His words appeared to have the desired effect as Icarus looked back up at Gohan, the fear vanishing. Icarus took a less hesitant step into the clearing, then another, and was soon bounding towards Gohan again, who turned around and began running ahead of Icarus. They cleared the clearing in no time, and kept moving swiftly through the woods. Gohan tried to remember the overhead view of the city, and guessed that they were getting closer to the edge of the park, maybe about ten minutes away. Then would be the tough part. There wasn't much city left after they made it that far, but they'd still have to make it through the urban area.

" _It'll be difficult, but no one is taking Icarus away again on my watch!"_ Gohan swore. So focused he was, he didn't notice he was falling until his face hit the ground.

"What the-" Gohan nearly shouted in surprise. Quickly sitting back up, spitting grass out of his mouth, he rubbed his head. The impact jarred his mind more than anything. "How did that happen…" he muttered. Rubbing his foot, he remembered the sensation of tripping in the back of his mind. He sighed and stood back up. "Stupid, Gohan, you're supposed to focus, you're supposed to _foc_ -"

As much as he wanted to focus, what he saw next had him more than distracted. Looking at the spot where he tripped, a small object was sitting there. A perfectly smooth and round grey stone sphere, about the size of his fist, laid in the middle of the path.

"No way…" he said in disbelief, looking up at his dragon friend, who was looking at Gohan in curiosity. "No way!"

Reaching down, he picked up the stone ball and let it sit in his hands. It felt like normal stone, but it had a faint aura about it, and no normal stone in the wilderness was this completely smooth. He let out a laugh. "I don't know whether you're just good luck, Icarus, or if actual dragons have a knack for these things, but either way, hah hah!" He pocketed the stoney Dragon Ball, smile refusing to leave his face. "Come on, sorry for that, but we need to keep going." Hovering a foot or two off the ground so that he wouldn't trip again, he began flying through the forest, making their way out.

* * *

"Right, we're sorry for taking your time."

As the trucker got back in his vehicle and drove away, Videl growled in frustration and turned back to her jet copter. The force had just pulled over the upmteenth semi in the past half hour, and they hadn't gotten any closer to finding their culprit. Hell, they could already be long gone out of the city, and they wouldn't know any better.

Slamming the door shut, Videl took back to the air, looking up and down the streets. It didn't matter what the possibilities, as long as there was a chance that she could catch the thief, she would patrol until she dropped.

She turned the corner around Satan Tower, the largest office building in the city, and flew down the new street as her phone went off. Without taking her eyes off the sky, she reached down and hit a button on her dash, connecting her call to the sound system. "You've got Videl" she said.

"Videl, are you seriously still out on that call?" Erasa's voice came on through.

"Sorry, we're dealing with professionals today, this isn't the sort of thing I can deal with over the course of a couple minutes" Videl answered.

"So does that mean that the dragon is still missing?" Sharpner asked, also on the call.

"Yes, but they aren't getting it out of the city if I have anything to say about it" Videl said sharply. "They're good, but they won't get past us."

"We know that no one's better than you, Videl" Erasa said cheerfully.

"Well, speaking of that, is Saiyaman out there helping?" Sharpner asked.

Videl scowled as she turned another corner. "Not a sign of that dork's green costume all day" she said bitterly. Normally, she hated when he barged in on her work, but not only was she on a time-crunch today, she still needed to find some hard evidence linking Saiyaman to Gohan, which was easier said than done when neither of them had made an appearance.

"Come on, the one time he could be a real help, he doesn't show?" Sharpner grunted, the sound of a facepalm audible over the connection.

"You're telling me…" Videl muttered.

"How does someone even steal a dragon, let alone make off with it in the middle of a city?" Sharpner asked.

"No one on the force can figure that one out so far" Videl said. "We're searching all the cargo trucks leaving the city, but not one of them have turned up a lead. There's no other way to move something that big through the city without anyone noticing…" Videl slowed down. "Wait… maybe there's another way that they're movi-"

Her communicator began beeping loudly, distracting her thought process. "Sorry guys, it's the chief, got to go" she said a hurried goodbye before switching over to her communicator. "What is it, Chief?"

"Videl, sorry to bother you while you're out, but we've got a bit of a situation" the chief replied.

"Situation?" Videl questioned.

"Nothing major. However, we have a rookie officer who believes he could help in the case if he got access to the crime scene" the Chief answered. "Me and all the commanding officers of the precinct are too far away and on patrol as it is. We can hold down the streets, can you go see what this guy can offer."

Videl huffed. "He'd better have something to offer…" she muttered. "I'm on it" she replied, switching off the communicator and altering her course back to the circus tent.

* * *

It only took her a couple minutes to make her way back across the city and land on the grounds again. By this time, a crowd of reporters had gathered, and were barely being held out of the gate by the team stationed there. Several circus staff, a few officers, and Mr. Mizuka were all outside of the tent.

Climbing down, Videl capsulated her ride and walked over. "The chief called me over" she announced. "Who wanted a look at the crime scene?"

One of the officers glanced at her. "Oh, hey Videl. That's why you're over here again?" he asked. At her nod, he shrugged. "Don't see it turning up anything, but I guess it can't hurt. The newbie is waiting over there."

Jerking his head to the side, Videl got a look at the policeman off to the side of the group. He was rather small in stature. He wore a yellow uniform and a white helmet was fastened to his head.

"He even looks like a rookie…" Videl muttered, walking over. She noticed he was tapping his foot impatiently on the ground as she drew near. "So, you're the one that called me off of my patrol, huh?"

The tapping stopped, and the man looked up. "Well, I wouldn't need anyone if they just let me back there" he said. "I'm as good as any officer here, surely I should have the same clearance as someone still in highschool."

Videl glared. "Want to say that again?" she threatened.

"I didn't mean any offense" the man said. "I'm just saying, what makes this crime scene different from any other?"

"High priority" Videl answered simply. She crossed her arms. "So what makes you think you can see something we didn't?"

"Let's just say I tend to have a really good instinct and some fairly sharp senses" he answered. "If I could get a look, I feel like I could find something the others missed."

Videl was tempted to say no, so that she could get back to work faster. But, she remembered how difficult it was to get cooperation from the rest of the force when she started, even being the daughter of the World Savior. With a resigned sigh, she made up her mind. "Make it fast" she said.

The short man grinned and nodded. "Thanks" he said, running inside.

Videl blinked a moment, surprised by how fast the guy moved, before dashing after him. For a short guy, he was pretty fleet on his feet. By the time she arrived back at the dragon's pen, the officer was looking around the enclosure.

She saw him lean down and pick up one of the chains off of the ground, looking at the cut end. He stood up and backed away, glancing around the room. "Now that's odd…" she heard him muttered.

"What's that?" Videl questioned, approaching him.

"Huh?" he asked, turning around. "Oh, sorry, I was just noting the odd way the chains were cut. Really symmetrical."

Videl raised her eyebrows. "Sharp eye, I noticed the same thing" she commented. "Anything else?"

"Well, I've got a hunch, but nothing solid yes" he answered.

Videl sighed. They couldn't devote resources over the hunch of a rookie officer. "We can't do anything about that, but if you think you can tackle your lead solo, go right on ahead. If it turns up something, then that's great, but without an actual lead, we can't offer support."

"Understood" the man nodded. "I'm fine handling this solo anyways. Thank you for letting me back here."

Once again moving shockingly fast, he dashed past her and began to move back outside. "Hey, wait a second!" she called after him. "I never got your name."

"My name?" he asked, having halted. "It's Krillin" he answered, before running off.

* * *

Gohan floated backwards, retreating back into the shadows the trees cast. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head. "Now, we've got the hard part" he said.

It didn't take them much longer to finish making their way through the park, now they were at the very edge. Icarus was laying down 30 feet back, feeling winded from the distance they had travelled. And just in front of Gohan, the foliage turned back into urban architecture.

The streets weren't as busy as they could have been, but they were crowded enough that moving a large purple dragon through them undetected would have been impossible. Since Icarus' wings were out, there weren't any options left for them at the time.

Gohan darted between the trees, making his way back over to Icarus in a flash. The dragon glanced up at him when he approached, eyes looking hopeful. Gohan chuckled, once again seeing little difference between this large dragon and a puppy. Grabbing his water bottle, he opened Icarus' mouth and poured some of the liquid within inside. Icarus accepted the drink readily. There wasn't nearly enough, considering the small size of the bottle and the large size of the dragon, but it helped nonetheless. Setting the empty bottle aside, he patted Icarus comfortingly. "We'll be hanging out here for a while, buddy, so try and get your strength back, okay?"

Icarus let out a low groan in response, heading falling to the ground and eyes closing. Satisfied that Icarus was getting some rest, Gohan floated up into the tree right above and sat in the branches. "You know, when Dad comes back, I'll have to see if he can teach me Instant Transmission too" he thought out loud. "That would have really come in handy right about now, for getting us out of here safely."

Striking a thoughtful pose, Gohan closed his eyes and extended his senses, until he felt his brother back home. He frowned slightly, Goten's signal a bit stronger than he remembered. Raising his fingers to his forehead, he focused every fiber of his body on the energy he felt. After several long moments of intense focus, however, he felt no different. Opening his eyes, sure enough, he was still in the exact same spot.

" _Not like I expected that to work"_ he chided himself for feeling disappointed. It took his dad almost a year to learn that trick. It wouldn't be this easy for him, especially without a teacher.

A warning suddenly flashed across his mind. Body going on high alert, Gohan floated up silently, hiding himself in the thicker branches of the tree as he felt someone approach.

" _This isn't good, if someone sees Icarus, things get a whole lot harder"_ Gohan thought worriedly. He wouldn't hurt anyone who came his way unless they were out to hurt Icarus or himself. Not that anyone could hurt him, but Icarus was still in a very weak condition. " _Maybe a Ki Overload would work."_

A Ki Overload was a simple trick that almost anyone practiced in energy could accomplish, but didn't often have uses in a fight. It was a simple matter of charging a source of ki in a calm manner, as to not form any damaging move, but not so weak that it was a mere energy transfer, and plunge it into the opponent. The sudden rise in ki could then overload the victim's nervous system temporarily, and knock them out for a bit with no side effects.. While it was dangerous if too much is pumped in, for those untrained with ki manipulation, only a small amount would be enough. For more powerful targets, the move would have very little use to begin with.

Gohan let a small portion of ki flow down his arm and gather into a pale white ball in the palm of his hand. He felt the person approach, and just before they reached them, leapt out of the branches towards the target.

The person he had aimed at leapt away, easily escaping his range, surprising Gohan. He was even more surprised when he heard complaining. "Kami, Gohan, what was that for, jumping me like that?!" a very annoyed voice asked him.

"Wait, Krillin?" Gohan asked, stupefied.

The short man stood up, brushing the dirt off of his knees and taking his helmet off. "Yeah, it's me. I'm more surprised you're the one out here, though."

Krillin scratched his head as he looked at Gohan. "And what's with that costume? It's the end of summer, not Halloween yet."

Gohan looked down. "Oh, this is just my Saiyaman suit" Gohan explained, taking off his helmet. "I wear it to protect my identity when I'm helping fight crime."

Krillin cocked his head to the side. "Oh, you're the Saiyaman guy running around the place? Yeah, the guys back at the precinct told me about you. Some of them love the help, some of them just want to lock any vigilante crime fighter up no matter the good they do."

"I see you took a job on the police force here?" Gohan questioned.

"Yeah, it was high time I got a real job. 18 and I bought a house here in the city with the money Mr. Satan gave her, but it won't last forever. We've got bills and stuff, now that we're not living with Roshi anymore" Krillin explained. "And it looks like we had similar ideas about what to do in this place."

"Heh heh, yeah, I guess so" Gohan chuckled.

Krillin laughed a little with him, before turning to the elephant… er, dragon, in the room. "So, this is Icarus, huh?" he asked.

Gohan nodded. "Hey, wait, how'd you know it was Icarus?" he wondered.

Krillin rolled his eyes. "How many other purple dragons that you'd be willing to commit crimes to help do you know?" he asked.

"Oh…" Gohan said, laughing nervously and feeling stupid. "Yeah, Icarus got captured because I asked for his help with something, I couldn't just leave him."

"What I don't understand is how a giant fire-breathing flying tank like him is supposed to be captured by a couple fat-cats in a circus" Krillin noted.

"Well, best I could figure from Icarus, he landed in the park to take a rest from his flight home. I had him dropping Buu back off at Mr. Satan's place after we sparred. While he rested, they must have jumped him" Gohan explained, anger growing as he went on. "His wings are pierced, keeping him from flying, and he's got some other injuries that crippled him a bit."

Krillin's face betrayed pure disgust. "You know, I'm a human too, and I must say, sometimes, I'm ashamed to be a part of this race" he muttered. "I mean, the Saiyans went around destroying planets, but at least they aren't anymore."

"Humans aren't always bad, but some of them make my stomach turn" Gohan agreed.

Krillin nodded, before looking back to the dragon. "So, if he can't fly, how are you going to make it out of the city?" he asked. "It's not far, but it's all urban through there."

"I was working on that" Gohan said. "I think it's just going to come down to waiting for nightfall when no one will be around."

It seemed a logical plan, but Krillin shook his head. "Sorry Gohan, but that won't work" he said. Looking him in the eye, he explained. "Apparently, you're taking Icarus back is the equivalent to an multi-million dollar heist. The entire force is combing the city, and I'm guessing that they'll search the park before it gets dark too."

Gohan frowned. "Not good" he muttered. Worried, he looked up. "I can't carry Icarus, his wounds wouldn't allow it. And I doubt we could just barrel down the streets without hurting Icarus or someone else. I don't know what to do."

Krillin crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Yeah, this is a tough one" he nodded. He shrugged. "Well, here goes nothing."

Looking upwards, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted to the sky. "HEY, GOKU, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, YOU THINK YOU COULD POP DOWN HERE FOR JUST A SECOND AND HELP US OUT?!"

Krillin's voice echoed through the woods, nearly causing Gohan to panic. He settled the longer time went on without sensing any other people approach, however. A minute passed, and Krillin lowered his hands. "Well, it was worth a shot, I guess" he muttered.

"Even if he heard, I wouldn't want him risking it" Gohan said. "Dad flew in to save me from Bojack that one time, and he nearly got a really harsh punishment for doing that, when it lead to saving the galaxy."

"And saving your pet dragon probably isn't on the same scale" Krillin finished. "Yeah, good point." He snapped his fingers. "Hey, I have another idea!"

"It doesn't involve yelling again, does it?"

"Well, maybe a little bit, but not that way" Krillin said, grinning. "This is where it pays to have friends on the force. Remember when you said you couldn't exactly just barrel down the streets without somebody getting hurt?"

Gohan nodded, wanting to see where Krillin was going with this. "Well, I could set up a traffic block. I'll get back out there and find a short route out of town for you guys to take, then set everyone on a detour to clear the streets. You two can run through, and no one would be in your way."

"You can really do that?!" Gohan exclaimed.

Krillin waved his hand. "I mean, it's really easy. Only the criminals don't listen to the guy with a badge, you know?"

Gohan laughed. "Krillin, that would be awesome! Like, seriously awesome!"

"Well duh, don't you know me?" Krillin laughed back. "I'll be back once I've got a path in mind, alright? You just stay here with the dragon and wait for me to… Hey, do you hear that?"

Gohan stood up straighter. "I heard something…" he said. "What is it."

The city noises were distant around them, people chatting, cars honking and rushing past. Then, over the tumult, there was one clearly audible sound that didn't belong.

" _Roooooaaaaaaaahhh…"_

Krillin blinked and rubbed his eyes. "Okay, now I'm either crazy, dreaming, or I just heard another dragon roar" he said.

Gohan played back the sound in his head, before groaning. "Oh no… Oh no no no…" he groaned, jumping into the air, Krillin following him.

The two of them stopped right above the treetops, and Gohan groaned again. "How? I mean, how did they even get here?"

"Wait, it really is another dragon?!" Krillin yelped.

Far into the distance, almost blending in with the afternoon sky, a large, light blue dragon was soaring through the air, almost aimed directly at them.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, I saw her earlier. She's Icarus' mate, and she was looking for him back in the mountains. I mentioned Icarus, and she smelled him on me. She must have followed me here looking for him!"

Krillin sighed. "Only us, Gohan, this could only happen to us" he said.

Looking down below, Gohan realized something important. "Krillin, we have no time now" he said. "Me and Icarus, we have to move." Krillin looked at him as if to protest, but Gohan cut him off. "We'll have to make sure to be careful and not hurt anyone, but if we don't move, then everyone will be in danger. Icarus has to be out of the city before his mate gets here, otherwise, I have a feeling things aren't going to turn out well."

Krillin gulped, before nodding. "You're right, Gohan. I'll come with you to hel-"

"No Krillin, you go pretend to be on patrol" Gohan said. "There's no need for you to risk your career here, I can handle myself and Icarus."

"Gohan, are you sure about this?" Krillin asked.

"I'm sure, Krillin, just move before you get into trouble" Gohan assured him.

Krillin nodded. "Alright, be careful then, Gohan" he said, before dashing back through the park.

Nodding, Gohan dropped through the branches of the tree, landing on the ground and placing a hand on Icarus. "Come on, buddy, we've got to move, now!" he said, speaking low but quickly. Pushing a small ki boost into his friend to jog him awake, Icarus was up and looking around curiously in moments.

Narrowly dodging a large lick, Gohan shook his head at his friend. "Icarus, I'm sorry, but no time now" he said. "Your mate is flying here, and if we don't get you out, people might get hurt." Seeing a flicker of understanding in his friend's eyes, he nodded. "Come on, we've got to go fast" he said, placing his helmet back on and rushing through the trees, Icarus bounding behind him. No longer concerned with stealth, this was now a race against the clock.

Bursting out of the edge of the park, Gohan ran across the asphalt that paved the streets, Icarus emerging right after him. There was no one where they emerged, but up ahead, people were beginning to see the large dragon running down the road, and panic began to take hold, as people began swerving and sprinting to the sides of the street.

Gohan cringed internally as he began to hear cries of "is that Saiyaman?" and "he has the dragon!" fly from the bystanders, knowing that after today, there was a good chance that his reputation was shot. Not dwelling on that, he continued to run, carefully making sure to avoid anyone in the way, Icarus doing the same.

" _Roooooooooaaaaaaahhhh!"_ the roar sounded much closer, and Gohan swore under his breath. He could see the last of the buildings just a few blocks away, and began to have hope. The streets were relatively clear, and it was a straight shot.

As the last roar faded, however, another new sound took its place, the shrill ringing of sirens. In the glass of some of the buildings, flashing red and blue lights began to appear, and two blocks ahead of them, a line of police cards streaked across the street, stopping and completely barricading the path. Policemen jumped out of their cars and began pulling weapons out towards them. The telltale "freeze" rang out from the line of cops, but Gohan knew he couldn't do that.

"Sorry guys" he muttered. The two of them neared the cops. Fifty feet, fort feet, thirty feet…

Seconds before they reached them, Gohan turned back to Icarus. "Close your eyes" he warned, before turning back forward and raising his hands to his head. "SOLAR FLARE!"

A blazing white light streaked out, and by the many cries of shock he heard, he supposed that he had just blinded the entire blockade. Smirking, he took the last few steps and jumped, sailing over the line. Picking up the speed, Icarus galloped as fast as he could, jumping over the line himself, and cracking the ground on impact, never breaking stride.

The exit to the city was just two blocks away. Grinning at Icarus, the two picked up the pace, as much as Icarus could, and began to dash for the finish line… Only to skid to a halt as a yellow jet copter dashed in front of them and sat down right in their path.

" _No, no, why now, WHY NOW?!"_ Gohan ranted internally as Videl leapt from the capsule vehicle. As she walked towards him, he couldn't help but notice the odd expression on her face, a mix of disgust, triumph, and anger.

"So, the truth will out" Videl said as she approached. "You know, no one has seen you all day, and most of us feel like that was really odd. I mean, a big incident like this, and no sign of the caped dork? At first, we thought it was because detective skills weren't your area of expertise, and you only showed up when a fight was going down. But now we know why." She pointed an accusing finger at Gohan. "You're nothing but another common criminal!"

Gohan blinked beneath his visor, feeling oddly stung by Videl's words. "Miss Videl, I can assure you, this isn't what you believe it to-"

"Save it, Saiyadork" Videl cut him off. Frowning at him, she continued. "You know, I was starting think you might be a decent guy. But all you tricksters are the same. Tao, Cell, all of you are cut from the same cloth."

Even for the situation he was in, Gohan felt a surge of anger at her words. She had just compared him to Cell, the monster that took his father away all those years ago, and blamed it on the techniques he and his friends were ridiculed for.

He took a deep breath and tried to steady his ki, which was on the rise. "I promise you, I am nothing like them" he said. "And if you would give me a chance to explain, you might understand that I'm doing this for the good of the city!"

Videl raised her eyebrows, then shook her head. "You really think I'd fall for that?" she asked, stopping and staring right at him. "Oh believe me, I know exactly how smart you are" she said with an ominous tone. "Given the chance, you'd probably be able to come up with a story that good get you out of anything." She stretched her arms above her head. "Which is why I'm going to take you down and drag you in myself!"

"What? Videl, I'm not going to fight with you" Gohan exclaimed, waving his hands in the air.

"Good, then this'll be easy" Videl said, charging forward.

Gritting his teeth, Gohan raised his hands to his head. "SOLAR FLARE!" he shouted, the blinding white light streaming out once again. He lowered his hands and prepared to run with Icarus, when Videl jumped at him from the side, a kick aimed at his head.

Yelping in surprise, he dashed backwards, putting some distance between the two of them. "But how?" he asked, pointing at her.

"You don't think I saw that trick you did on the other men on my way here?" Videl asked. "I knew what was coming, so I covered my eyes."

Gohan blinked, lowering his finger. " _Wow, she's really smart"_ he realized.

Videl ran towards him again, unleashing a barrage of quick attacks. Quick for a human, anyways, as Gohan swiftly dodged each one. No matter how many he dodged, however, she kept going, a smirk forming on her face. "You know, when I drag your can in, the first thing they're gonna do is take that trash can off of your head, so the whole world can know who the Satan City vigilante truly is" she said.

Gohan parried her last blow and jumped away, trying to lead her away from Icarus. Hopefully, the dragon would know to run while he had the chance. He could make it on his own if Videl wasn't in his way.

"You know, it's a shame" Videl commented, circling him slowly while catching her breath. "I was really hoping you'd turn out to be a good guy. It would have been nice to have another friend. Too bad."

"Videl, I am your friend!" Gohan protested. "You don't know, the reason I was trying to save Icarus is because of-"

"I don't know where you got that name from" Videl cut him off. "The dragon's name is Rocko."

Gohan clamped a hand over his mouth. " _Crap"_ he thought. "Yeah, the reason I was trying to save Rocko is because his being here is putting the city in danger."

"That dragon was under enough guard that it couldn't have caused much trouble if it wanted to" Videl said. "The danger started when you set it free to roam the streets."

Gohan let out a growl of frustration. "You aren't listening to me!" he shouted. "If we don't get Icarus out of the city right now, then everyone here is going to-"

He stopped suddenly as a shadow moved over their heads. "Oh no…" he muttered.

"ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAHHH!" the large blue dragon roared, voice vibrating the very ground beneath them. Windows on either side of them shattered, littering the sidewalk with shards of glass. Sounds of panic rang through the streets around them.

Gritting his teeth, he looked at Videl. "I was _trying_ to keep this from happening" he said.

Videl gawked at the massive animal flying above them. "But… How could you have-"

"I've known this dragon since I was just a child myself" Gohan said. "I knew that he had been poached when I saw him appear on TV. His mate is also much more aggressive than him, from what I've seen. I came to see why Icarus was here, and when his mate showed up, I made it priority to get him out of the city before she showed up and started posing a danger."

Videl looked at him in shock. "And, but getting in your way, I let this happen…" Videl realized.

"We all make mistakes, Videl, but now's not the time to dwell on them" Gohan said. Ki charging through his body, Gohan took to the skies, flying after the blue dragon. Somehow, she hadn't seen Icarus down in the street, so he had to get to her before she did anything.

His all too finely tuned senses heard the telltale _click_ of a gun below him. A chill entered his blood as he looked down and saw the entire barricade they had leaped was pulling weapons and aiming at Icarus' mate. Giving a silent apology to the team, he raised his hands to his head for the third time that day. "SOLAR FLARE!"

Feeling guilty at the shouts and curses coming from the line below, he turned and charged after the dragon. "HEY!" he called as he drew near.

The dragon's head turned back with a snarl. Gohan barely had time to react as she let loose a burst of fire at him. Rolling to the side, he drew level with her as she stopped flying away and began hovering. Only at this point did Gohan notice the smaller dragon on her back, and suddenly didn't feel so guilty about keeping the police from firing.

"Listen, don't do anything else like that!" he exclaimed. "I found Icarus! You can follow me to him!"

The dragon's snarl remained, but she perked at the mention of Icarus. He drew closer and stretched out his hands, and was met with a low growl.

" _She doesn't recognize me in my disguise"_ he realized. The dragon was being quite violent, so the only way he could figure calming her down was for her to see who he really was. " _Oh, Kami, I hope no one can see me right now"_ he prayed, before lifting his helmet up.

The scowl on her face was quickly replaced with confusion, and her eyes sparked with recognition. Hoping that that was enough for the raging reptile, he placed his helmet back on and flew off, waving her after him as he flew back down into the streets.

The policemen were more angry now, aiming again at the dragon, and also at him, believing that the dragon was coming in for another strike. He gathered ki in his arms, preparing to make a barrier to protect them, but never had to.

"Hey, hold your fire, HOLD YOUR FIRE!" Videl's voice rang out. He locked eyes with the raven-haired girl, the two nodding at each other.

Gohan dived across the street, rounding the corner and coming to a stop right near where Icarus laid. Looking up behind him, he saw the female dragon catching up and Videl sprinting back over, after having made her way to the barrier to save Gohan the trouble of stopping the gunfire.

Gohan let out a sigh of relief. They may not have gotten Icarus out in time, but besides some shattered windows and scorches on the sidewalk, everything was unharmed. Hell, Videl even saw what was going on. Things could hardly have gone any better.

 _CRACK_

Louder than a glacier shattering, Gohan cringed as the loud noise completely disoriented him, and became aware of an irritating pressure on the side of his head. The sound of a scream entered his mind, and he stumbled backwards, trying to shake off the disorientation.

He reached up to clutch his head, then pulled his hand back in shock when he felt himself. _Himself,_ not the material of his helmet. Opening his eyes, he realized that a chunk of it was missing, a long triangle-shaped piece above his right eye, as well as a piece of the visor it connected to. He looked around at the scene. Icarus was lying on the ground, looking fearfully towards Gohan as his mate stood near him, seemingly searching him over. Videl had her hands cupped over her mouth, her eyes wide. Was it her that screamed? He looked at the ground and saw a piece of orange and black, the piece of his helmet. And embedded in it? A bullet.

Looking at the direction he felt the pressure from, he felt shock when his eyes fell on Mr. Musuka, aiming a gun right at him, still smoking.

"Did yous think you could just take ma' property and I wouldn't fight fo' it?" Musuka shouted. "Yeah, I'll bet yous not feeling so good now, eh?!"

Gohan groaned and clasped his head. "No, I'm really not, that thing gave me a headache" he said. "I mean, geez, what, did you put the whole barrel of gunpowder into that case?"

Mr. Musuka's angry and confident expression slipped away in surprise and fear as the gun slipped from his hands. "B-b-but, I shot yous! Why is yous still talkin?"

"Please, it'll take more than a bullet from some round business man to put me down" Gohan said, head clearing.

"I, I, uh…" Musuka stuttered, turning to Videl. "Hey, you! This is the guy who stole my dragon. Do your job and arrest his sorry keister!"

Videl's face turned downright murderous. Losing all sense of shock she had from when Gohan had been shot she stomped towards the small man. "' _Do my job?!'_ " she shouted. "You are the _last person_ who wants to be telling me that!"

"Wait, what?!" Musuka exclaimed.

"Let's list them off, dimwit" Videl hissed. "One, you poached a dragon! Two, you led a dragon to attack the city through number one! Three, after you _know_ what you've done, you still try and keep said poached dragon! And finally, let's wrap this all up with assault with intent to kill! You attacked a city hero while he was doing his job of keeping this place _safe!_ So you know what?!"

Jumping the last step, Videl swept his legs out from under him, forcing the man to hit the asphalt hard, and in seconds, had his hands bound behind him in a set of handcuffs. Musuka, having been knocked out cold from connecting with the pavement, didn't resist arrest.

Standing up, Videl waved a couple of the policemen who had been drawn towards the scene over. "Take him downtown" she said with contempt, clearly resisting the urge to kick him while he was down.

Gohan reached down and grabbed the piece of his helmet off of the ground. Placing it back in place, he allowed his ki to superheat his hand, fusing the thin piece back to the rest of the accessory. Tapping it a few times, it seemed to be steady.

He looked up as Videl turned away from the retreating policemen and walked towards him. She came to a stop in front of him, staring at the ground. Gohan turned his head to the side, confused by her behavior.

* * *

Videl took a deep breath. "Listen, Saiyaman, I just want to say… Thank you" she said. She had trouble speaking to him. Her anger abated, she began to feel guilty. "And… I'm really, _really_ sorry for what I said to you before."

Looking up at him, she noticed that he had replaced the piece in his helmet. Part of her was disappointed that she missed the opportunity to catch a glimpse beneath his helmet, but, to her surprise, she was mostly just grateful that he was unharmed.

Saiyaman reached up and rubbed the back of his head. "It's no problem Videl" he said. His voice, cheesey as always, was a bit more genuine this time. "Your drive is what makes you great at your job, after all."

"Maybe, but today, I'm not so sure" she admitted. "I've got such a thing about bringing anyone who's guilty in, and I'm sure my annoyment with you didn't help my perception of the situation. Because I held you up, I put the city in danger of a dragon attack." She pulled a face. "Not something I expected to say when I woke up today."

A deep laugh came from Saiyaman. "Oh, things like this seem odd, but the more they happen, the more they begin to seem normal."

"Do I really want dragon attacks to seem like everyday occurrences, though?" Videl pointed out.

"Fair point" Saiyaman shrugged. He looked around at their surroundings. "I'm sorry for the mess here."

Videl followed his vision. While nothing serious happened, there was a fair amount of damage done to the street, between cracked pavement, shattered glass, and burnt buildings. She shrugged. "Most of this isn't your fault, besides, my dad lives in the city. Repairing this damage is nothing to him, and he's usually glad to help out with these things, if nothing else for his image."

Saiyaman chuckled. "Hey, I know your dad seems like a bit of a blowhard sometimes-"

"Understatement of the century…" Videl muttered.

"-But he's still a hero at the end of the day" Saiyaman finished.

"Yeah, I just wished he didn't have to be so showboaty about it" Videl conceded. She looked up at Saiyaman. "So what about you? What's your father like?"

"My father?" Saiyaman asked. "Well, he's a great role model, I guess. Even when things get tough, he always is in a good mood. He loves a challenge, but he's also lots of fun when he's not looking for one." He shrugged. "I mean, he's really great. I can't wait to see him again."

Videl smiled. "Why do you say that?" she asked.

"Well, he's been gone a while, but he's going to be done in a few months and be coming home" Saiyaman answered.

Videl's smile grew. "Oh _really?_ " she asked, stepping closer.

Saiyaman took a step back as she approached. "What?"

"Nothing really" Videl said. "I've just got this friend. His dad is his hero too, and is coming back from a long trip soon too."

It was entertaining to watch his sudden shift in posture, going from a relaxed form to suddenly nervous and shaky. It was almost better than having him outright admit it.

"REALLY, heh heh heh!" Saiyaman laughed nervously. "Er, yeah, um, strange coincidence. Well, I've got to go now, Icarus needs to rest so, um, BYE!"

Saiyaman flashed out of existence right in front of her. She barely had time to watch him load the dragon from the circus onto the other dragon's back and take off all together. Videl looked down at her watch. It was past 4, almost 5. It was probably about the time to head home.

She walked back over to where her jet copter sat. It had some minor debris on it, but nothing that would impair its performance. She hopped in and took back to the air, setting a course straight for home.

" _It really is Gohan, isn't it?"_ she thought. It seemed impossible, and even less likely the longer she thought about it. The boy from her class was a little nerdy and shy, in a cute way. " _Wait, cute?"_

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. " _If that really is Gohan, I wonder why he wears a disguise, or for that matter, acts like the complete opposite of what he's capable of whenever he's around anyone else. I mean, who would deliberately try and act in a way that gets them picked on when he is capable of defending himself, at the very least."_

Of course, it could be a matter of his Saiyaman style being using light tricks. At least, that's what she always heard them be called. The more time she witnessed Saiyaman's feats, the less they seemed like a trick. They always look convincing on tv, but when they were happening right in front of her…

" _That'll be a question for Gohan once I prove who he is"_ Videl decided. Just another thing to add to the list of interrogations she planned to apply to the youth as soon as she unmasked him. She was getting close, and she was sure she was on the right path. At this point, it was not about _if_ she could do it, it was a matter of _when_ it would happen.

And Videl wasn't one to go into something without going _all_ in.

* * *

Gohan landed on the lawn, letting go of his hold of Icarus' mate and letting her land herself. The youngest dragon alighted down beside him, while Icarus did his best to climb off of his mate's back, still moving tenderly.

Finally having his hands free, Gohan reached up and clicked the button on his watch, his superhero disguise phazing away, leaving his regular outfit behind. He took a deep breath of the mountain air, glad to be back out of the city. The day had been more hectic than he had cared for it to be, so it was just good to be done.

Floating over, he helped Icarus the rest of the way down, making sure he was steady before letting go. Seeing his long time friend in such a pained state was nearly as painful to him, but he was sure that he wouldn't take long to recover from his injuries. After all, the guy had taken attacks from Saiyans and stronger when he was just a baby. He was resilient.

Hearing the door open, Gohan turned away from the dragons in time to see Goten running towards them. "Big brother, you're back!" he said happily, skidding to a stop when he reached him, hugging him around the legs.

"What, did you think I wouldn't be?" Gohan laughed, leaning down and hugging his brother back, picking him up on his shoulder.

Goten gave him a toothy grin before looking up at the dragons. "Wow, there's a lot of them" he said in awe. "And Icarus is really _really_ big."

"Yeah, but you saw how big he was on the tv, right?" Gohan asked his brother.

"Well, the tv made him look smaller" Goten said.

"Heh heh, fair point, Goten" Gohan chuckled. He let his laughing peter out, before he looked back over. "Hey, Mom didn't come back while I was gone, did she?"

Goten shook his head. "No, she's still out" he said.

Gohan nodded. "Okay, good, I'm not sure she would have let me get away with going on a dragon heist on a day where I'm supposed to be missing school to rest" he breathed in relief.

Goten jumped off of his shoulder and ran over towards Icarus, petting him on the side of the neck before being viciously licked by the dragon, causing him to laugh. After surviving the impromptu bath, Goten looked over at the other two. "So who are these guys?" he asked.

Gohan smiled. "Well, the big light blue one is Icarus' mate, and the small dark blue one is his kid" he said.

"Whoa" Goten said. "What are their names?"

Gohan shrugged. "I don't know. Icarus only had his name because I found him when we were both just babies and needed something to call him. He liked it, so that's what he wanted to be called."

"So, can I name them then?" Goten asked.

Gohan chuckled. "Well, Goten, they aren't exactly our pets. I'm sure they already have their own names."

"Oh…" Goten pouted.

"Heh heh, come on, Goten, we'd best leave them be" Gohan said, picking his brother back up. He took a last look at the family of dragons. "Hey guys, maybe you shouldn't go too far for now. If Icarus needs help, it would be easier for us to do that if you were nearby. I'm sure there's a cave or something you could use."

Icarus and his mate exchanged looks. Icarus stepped forward and gently pressed his snout into Gohan, giving him a clear message through his eyes. Nodding, Gohan reached up and stroked Icarus' neck. "It was good to see you again, buddy" he said.

Pulling away, Icarus gave one last big lick to Gohan before turning around and trotting away. He and his family made their way towards the trees, Icarus in between the two.

"You guys make sure to come visit!" Gohan called after their retreating forms. "Make it as soon as you can!"

Icarus looked back at Gohan and let out a rolling growl in what could only be his own goodbye, before he and his family entered the forest line and faded from sight. Gohan smiled sadly. It had been ages since he had seen his friend. The last time had been some time before the Cell Games, where the two had played together. They had both grown so much since back then.

Luckily, it was not nearly the last time he'd be able to see him and his family. They lived not far away, even if they wouldn't be staying close to them. Icarus was sure he'd be fine back at where they lived, and wanted to go back. He may not have been able to speak with him, but after the time they spent together, they understood each other almost subconsciously.

Gohan smiled. Icarus had to be one of the best friends he ever had, even if he was an animal. Looking down at Goten, he ruffled his little brother's hair. "Say, Squirt, you ready to head back inside?"

"Yeah, Gohan, I sure am" Goten said, nodding and beginning to walk ahead.

"Cool" Gohan said, frowning. "But first…"

"Huh?" Goten asked, looking at him confused.

"Come on, Goten" Gohan said, staring his little brother down. Crossing his arms, he did his best to look intimidating. "Spill it."

"Spill what?" Goten asked. "I didn't do anything, promise!"

"Boy, I'm sure you have a _lot_ of fun with Trunks last night" Gohan said knowingly. "So much, in fact, I doubt you could do it all in one night." He saw that Goten was beginning to look nervous. "So, Squirt, are you going to tell me?"

Goten looked down, biting his lip. "Okay, big brother…" he said quietly. "Me and Trunks weren't playing, we went into the Time Chamber and we trained together…"

"That's what I thought" Gohan nodded. He chuckled. "You know, you've got to be more careful if you want to get away with something like that. You're power was higher today than it's ever been, and you were moving way too fast to catch me earlier. You've got to suppress yourself if you want no one to see."

"Oh, I didn't know that" Goten said. "But, I guess that makes sense. Trunks said his dad made him train extra hard for no reason today."

"Vegeta probably sensed the same thing as I did" Gohan nodded. "Now tell me, Squirt, how long were you guys in there for?"

"Well, the clock thingy inside the room went about three hours when we left" Goten said.

"Three hours, huh?" Gohan said. "Let's see… 24 hours, twelve months in a year, each hour outside is half a month, so three hours…" He looked down at Goten. "A month and a half? Geez, Goten, I think mom might notice this one. That's a really long time for a kid like you."

"What!?" Goten exclaimed.

"Just, don't do anything to draw attention to yourself, because you might end up growing a lot a bit earlier than Saiyans usually do" Gohan said. "You already spent a few weeks trying to fight Buu, so maybe you can say that if she brings it up."

"Wait, you're not going to tell Mommy?" Goten asked hopefully.

Gohan shook his head. "I won't rat you out, just promise me to not go sneaking off for such large amounts of training, okay?"

"Okay!" Goten chirped.

Gohan nodded. The sun was beginning to dip down in the sky, as the blue began to slowly be tinted orange, Gohan decided it was time to move inside for the night. "Let's go, Goten."

* * *

Chi-Chi came home about an hour after Gohan did. To his relief, it didn't seem like she knew anything that happened. She made dinner for the two bottomless pits before they all went to wind down and watch a show together. After a while, Gohan decided to go to bed early. He needed to rest up after his day of 'rest.'

Retiring to his room, Gohan slipped into his pajamas and jumped into bed, but not before making sure he still had a hold on the fossilized Dragon Ball. Still shocked at his luck, he sat it down inside his drawer, where hopefully it would be safe. Bidding his mom and brother goodnight, they finished up their night while Gohan tried to relax. Something was nagging at the back of his mind…

" _Nothing really" Videl said. "I've just got this friend. His dad is his hero too, and is coming back from a long trip soon too."_

" _Oh crapbaskets"_ Gohan facepalmed. " _She's found a link between us."_ If Videl managed to find solid proof… His life was basically over. He wouldn't be able to return to school, not if his secret got out. _Bad_ was the light way of putting it.

He was glad that Videl seemed to be acting civil towards his alter ego (at least when she was apologetic), but he still wanted it to remain just that, an alter ego. Saiyaman was supposed to be who Gohan could become to do what he wanted to do without interfering with his social life. He didn't want either to change, he wanted Saiyaman to still be able to help the world while Gohan could still just be Gohan.

He rolled over. " _Not to mention, Videl would probably shun me, Erasa and Sharpner too, because of what I can do."_ While the lack of publicity was great for them, it meant that their talents were mocked, scorned even, when public. Videl in particular seemed to be very vehement towards people who used 'light tricks.' It wouldn't be good.

" _Why do I care so much about what Videl thinks of me?"_ Gohan wondered. The two of them were friends, kind of, but Videl seemed to spend more time trying to grill his backstory out of him than anything else. He didn't want to lose Erasa or Sharpner either, no, but what was his fixation with her?

Gohan closed his eyes and tried to shut his thoughts out. He was going nowhere fast and was likely just keeping himself from falling asleep by dwelling on them. Pulling his covers up, he willed his mind to go completely blank, and let sleep come. Moments passed, and he slowly lapsed into sleep.

* * *

 _The city was crumbling around them, the smoke and fire pouring from the buildings lighting up the sky crimson, in some freaky blend of the Earth and Hell. Corpses lied everywhere, and right next to him, a bloodied Videl kneeled, gasping, seeming to be attempting to catch her breath._

 _Gohan looked around, furious at the carnage. What had caused it? Why was it happening?_

 _Within the smoke, an even darker force began to take shape. All around him, the area's energy distorted, and the smoke blew away. Strange rifts were forming, with shadowy figures emerging from them, surrounding them._

 _Gohan looked around. He couldn't make out who they were, and he couldn't sense them, yet they seemed familiar. None of them seemed to move at all as Gohan studied them._

 _Videl stood up beside him, getting into a fighting stance. He tried to tell her to not fight, that she couldn't do anything against whatever this was, but he couldn't speak._

 _A searing heat washed over them. Like the gates of Hell themselves, a pillar of a dark, fiery power erupted from the middle of the street, and another figure silhouetted within. Curved horns, long body, and the only part of the creature that was visible, a long, glowing purple blade held to the side. And as he looked, the blade lifted, and pointed directly at him._

 _At once, the shadowy figures around them converged on them, completely encasing them, blocking out the world entirely. Gohan tried to fight, but they didn't seem to even recognize his attacks. He heard the scream of Videl, and a bone-chilling, mad cackle in the distance, before he finally succumbed to the assault…_

* * *

Gohan shot upwards, body wrapped in a cold sweat. His heart was pumping a million miles a minute, and he clutched the sheets, trying to steady himself. Breathing hard, he rubbed his eyes and looked around. His eyes fell on the clock, it was just past five in the morning.

He sighed. The nightmare he just had, it had seemed so short, yet he had slept the entire night. Well, most of it, anyways. This one had seemed so vivid as well, even more so than the last one…

It was the same creature, but it was different. That thing didn't attack, but, it _pointed_ at him. Just the memory made his adrenaline start pumping, dispelling the last of his grogginess. Shaking his head, realizing he wasn't going to be sleeping any more that night, he stood up quietly, as to not wake Goten.

With a sigh, he began to get ready. It didn't take him long. He didn't feel very good in the house, and felt like he needed to get out. He wrote a short note to his mom that he was heading off early. Part of him was worried he was missing breakfast, but he didn't have much of an appetite that morning anyways.

Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he jumped out the window and took to the skies, still mostly dark, dawn but a faint smudge on the distant horizon. Not in a rush, he decided to fly slowly, using the crisp, cool air to help clear his mind as he flew towards Satan City.

"Once I get to school, I can focus on my work" Gohan muttered to himself. "I ought to feel better after I've done some."

Kicking up his energy, he decided to fly a little faster, the sound of his acceleration filling the sky, disguising any other noises that might have been heard otherwise.

* * *

"Alright, let's move it men, this machine isn't going to clean itself."

The hoard of grumbling ogres continued to work diligently, draining the machine of the black substance that filled it, setting the bottles off to the side.

The supervisor nodded. "Hey, that means _all_ of you" he said, directed at a younger ogre who was goofing off.

"Huh?" the young one asked. The supervisor pointed at the machine, and he sighed. "Fine…" he said, moving towards it.

"Good" he said. "Let's kick this into overtime boys! Majin Buu's spirit is coming through here in just a couple hours, and soul has too much darkness for us to comprehend. We need to make sure it's as clean as possible to prevent anything from going wrong, got it?"

"YES SIR!"

* * *

 **Any self-respecting Dragon Ball fan can probably tell where we're headed here. I hope you guys enjoyed this twist on the episode with Chobi, and once again, I'm sorry for the long wait.**

 **Now, I'll go ahead and respond to some of the reviews I've gotten since last time.**

 **Werewingwolfxx - well, Icarus' mate didn't do anything, but Videl really laid into him this time, so I hope that was satisfying too.**

 **Oracle-sama - I'll include Lime,** _ **if**_ **I can think of a way to incorporate her into the story. I won't just put her in for the sake of her being in it.**

 **Guest - I guess we'll have to see as time goes on if gohan has learned his lesson 0.0**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - I'm not changing the past besides the parts of the Buu Saga I altered, so I will say that the figure from Gohan's dream wasn't Cooler**

 **Jalen johnson - glad you're still liking it. About Joined Worlds, the writer's block I've had here? Twice as bad for that story. Sorry, but I think at this point it's on unofficial hiatus :(**

 **Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm hoping to be getting back into the groove soon, and until then cya guys later.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7 - Wrong Side of the Bed**

* * *

Gohan lightly touched down on the rooftops. Reaching down, he clicked the button on his wrist, the static energy covering him as his Saiya-Suit phased into existence on his person. He took in a deep breath of the cool air as he looked down at the city.

If he wanted to, though, he could have almost gotten away without the suit. The streets were rather devoid of life, given the early hour of the day. It was about half past five, most people were probably still at home sleeping. The sky was still mostly a dark blue, a tinge of dawn in the far distance, meaning that the streetlights of Satan City really stood out.

Gohan jumped down from his rooftop, landing on a lower building nearby. Okay, the streets weren't completely empty, but they were mostly. A couple people here and there, the occasional car, it was actually really peaceful. Which, while a breath of fresh air, meant he'd probably have nothing to do.

Making sure no one was looking up, Gohan leapt across the street, jumping from one building to the other. Scanning the next street over, there was just as much going on there. " _Yup, easy morning"_ he thought, slightly regretful. Not that he liked crime, but this morning, he just wanted to find a distraction.

He shuddered slightly. He had been subject to terrible nightmares for a lot of his life. On occasion, he'd had what had seemed like normal nightmares about random things, when he was very young. Most of the time, however, he'd had bad dreams about some of the more traumatic events he had gone through, his time on Namek and fight against Cell being amongst the forefront of them. But almost never, had they been so memorable, or so _alien_. It was always something that, while unwelcome, was familiar. Not so enigmatic as this latest intruder had been.

He wondered briefly if it was a Saiyan thing, but then again, Vegeta had never seemed to mention any night terrors. Not necessarily a thing he would just bring up in a normal conversation, though, not the 'Prince of all Saiyans.' Any mention that he had a weakness, be it physical or mental, he took as a direct insult to his pride, which, ironically, just added to his list of weaknesses.

He chuckled. He remembered just how much Vegeta had berated him for the past near-decade. If he wanted to, he could probably go back and play circles around him, just to mess with him. And with his new strength, he wouldn't have to worry about Vegeta trying to blast him into oblivion for it. Well, he'd have to worry about it, but he wouldn't be in any danger.

He blinked, grinning as he realized the perfect stress relief. He knew all of Vegeta's buttons he could press, and while he didn't tend to play manipulator, he could kill two birds in one stone. Get back Vegeta for his jabs and insults over the years, and give himself a morning workout to help him shake off the bad night.

He closed his eyes and sharpened his senses, reaching over the city. Sensing no aggravated ki signatures, he supposed the city could go one morning without the help of a half-Saiyan superhero. Besides, most anything that happened on a regular basis could be handled by Videl, even if it was more difficult for her than it would be with him around. He had underestimated her in the past, though, after all she did survive a few rounds with Mercenary Tao before he arrived the other day. She was definitely not a normal human…

He let out a groan as he took to the air, remembering something else from the previous night that had kept him up. " _Damn, she is way too good"_ he thought. He thought that she wasn't getting any sort of trail, just suspicions about him. But the way she talked to Saiyaman… It sent shivers down his back, like she knew a lot more than she even implied. He didn't like it.

" _I really need to up my game"_ he realized. If she got solid proof, coupled with her dislike for his alter ego and her hatred of him keeping secrets from her, it was all over for him. Saiyaman was labeled as a trickster, and if Saiyaman was revealed to be him… He didn't really want to think about that, not right then, at least. He'd have plenty of time to check over his shoulder at school.

Once he had made his way upwards in the air, he smiled as he felt one of the other most powerful energies on the planet a ways away. Seems like he wasn't the only one getting an early start that morning. Aiming himself towards West City, he blasted through the dim morning sky.

The distance between the two cities was great, but the trip was quite short considering his flight speed. In moments, he had landed on the lawns of the Capsule Corporation. He could almost here Vegeta's grunting from outside. Walking around the living quarters, Gohan found the nearest door and entered the code Bulma had given out to all of her friends for access to the building. Stepping inside, he could indeed see the red glow coming down from the end of the hall.

Stepping lightly down the corridor, Gohan rounded the corner, right near the Gravity Chamber. He paused right outside the door, looking down at his watch. Clicking the button on his watch, the suit that he had been wearing disappeared, leaving his school attire behind. He felt Vegeta's ki still, and he had a feeling that he sensed him.

Smirking, he turned the crank on the door and pushed the hatch open. He felt the intense gravity begin to push on his frame, and he pushed up against it. "You know why I'm here, Vegeta, so what do you say we just-" Gohan stopped mid-sentence and froze. "WHAT IN THE KAMI-?!"

"Like what you see, brat?"

Gohan wheeled around on the spot, face glowing red enough to stand out in the dim red light of the Gravity Chamber. "Why are you, you-"

"Sometimes it's nice to get some training in with me, myself, and I" Vegeta said, the smirk evident in his voice. "A nice early rise and none of that constricting armor, just my pride and my glor-"

"OKAY!" Gohan yelled. He slapped a hand over his eyes. Would it be worth it to burn them out? Probably not, his brain would still retain the image. Squeezing his temples, he sighed. "You know what? You're obviously busy, so I'll just come back-"

 _*Zip*_

"As you were saying?"

Hoping beyond hope that he was reading that noise correctly, he turned around hesitantly, hand still clamped over his eyes. Spreading his figures warily, he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Vegeta clad in his training suit. Following his relief, however, he eyed the elder Saiyan in confusion. "Wait, how did you get dressed so fast?"

"I spent ninety-percent of my life in outfits like this, I know my way around them" Vegeta said, amused by Gohan's discomfort. "Now, why is the latest disgrace to the Saiyan lineage in my Gravity Chamber?"

Gohan frowned. "Okay, Prince, what's up your now-spandex-clad behind this time?" he asked. "I'm in peak condition, I just fought the most powerful being on the planet three times in one month, what's bothering you now?"

Vegeta scowled. "First off, you haven't fought me once" he said.

" _Quite the hubris there, Vegeta"_ Gohan thought.

"But you know damn well what you're out there doing is an insult to our proud race" Vegeta said, shooting him a glare. "We are Saiyans, we seek true battles, we don't parade around in the uniforms of forest pixies fighting the salt of the planet."

"Well, look who's paying attention to Trunks' video game collection" Gohan chuckled.

"Where did you even get such a hideous outfit?" Vegeta asked.

"You wife made it for me" Gohan said. "She was happy to help."

Vegeta frowned. "Why on Earth would she do something that would be a direct affront to my kind…" he grouched.

"I'm out there helping people, which is more than I can say about you" Gohan said. Reaching up, he popped his neck. "But enough about you making fun of my awesome suit, you should know why you're here, right?"

"Hmph" Vegeta huffed, turning his back on Gohan, beginning to perform his exercises.

Surprised at this reaction, Gohan raised his eyebrows. "Er… Anyone home in there?" he asked. "Vegeta?"

"I thought I told you a few weeks ago, brat?" Vegeta grunted through his training. "You know that I can't hold a candle to you, short of my attaining Super Saiyan 3. You won't find a challenge here."

Gohan blinked. " _Was this really Vegeta?"_ "Come on, you shouldn't sell yourself short, Vegeta, I'm sure that-"

"Save it" Vegeta cut him off, dropping his hands and turning around. His hair flared blonde, ascending to the level of Super Saiyan. All strain vanished from his body as the extra power negated the heightened gravity. "You're just like Kakarot, you know that?"

"I'm not sure whether you mean that as a compliment or insult" Gohan admitted.

"Why not both?" Vegeta asked, shooting him his cocky grin. "Listen, try to give me a buildup speech if you want, but that doesn't change the facts. You're flat-out stronger than me, brat, I'd scarcely be your warm up at my maximum. That hasn't changed over the course of a couple weeks. It took Kakarot years in the afterlife to achieve Super Saiyan 3, I do not have such a fortunate opportunity."

Vegeta was _actually_ turning down a sparring match with him. Just how much had changed during the conflict with Buu? "Well, you know, Vegeta, the more you push yourself, the more progress you'll make. And I'm sure I could push you more than a kata in this place could."

Vegeta huffed. "You aren't going to let this go, are you?" he said begrudgingly.

"Not at all" Gohan said.

Vegeta glared at Gohan for a brief moment. Gohan watched as his hand shot up, yellow crackling in his palm. Aiming a knife hand at him, Vegeta unleashed a powerful blast of thin straight at him. Recognizing Vegeta's Final Impact, Gohan swerved to the side, energy singing him as it soared by. He cringed as it neared the wall, dreading the connection, but was surprised when the blast dissipated with a harmless reverberating sound.

"The woman was sick of having to repair this room every other day. Following our conflict with Cell, she used some of Gero's blueprints to develop energy absorption nodes in the wall" Vegeta revealed. "We won't blow them apart, not with blasts, anyways."

Clenching his fist, Vegeta's aura furiously flared up, as bolts of energy ran across his frame. "I don't want to catch you holding back on me, brat" Vegeta said as he hit the level of ascended Super Saiyan.

Gohan nodded, dropping into fighting stance. He decided to start small, and leveled himself to Vegeta. As his own wispy white aura began to roll up his body, his nose twitched. He looked down, and started. "Crap!" he exclaimed, as a long burn trailed across his shirt. Reaching up, he pulled his shirt and vest off. "Man, how am I going to explain this today?!"

Vegeta's stance wavered. "What the hell are you going on about?" he asked.

"Everyone at school is going to see this and I don't have an explanation" Gohan facepalmed. "This is really, _really_ ba-"

Gohan was sent skidding across the floor, side of his face stinging. He reached up and touched his cheek, and barely had time to roll to the side before Vegeta appeared above him, impaling his fist in the metallic floor. Jumping backwards, Gohan flipped to his feet, never expecting Vegeta to have come at him so suddenly. "What the heck is your-"

"I'll be damned if I let one of the only remaining members of the Saiyan warrior race act like a prissy earthling teenager!" Vegeta roared. "You asked for this, what are you waiting for, clown?! Act like a man!"

Gohan gritted his teeth. "You know what? Fine!" he spat. Reaching up, he ripped his shirt off and tossed it into the corner of the room. Taking off his Saiyaman Watch, he chucked it after his shirt. While the gravity in the room made it more dangerous, it was a durable piece of equipment, and his shirt cushioned the landing.

Facing Vegeta, he let out a shout as his power skyrocketed. The white energy around his body grew more violent, and his hair began waggling in their air, uplifted by his energy output.

He was a little sick of Vegeta's constant berating him. He understood that it was his way of making sure that they held onto their pride, but at some point, it was time for him to let go of his own a little.

Vanishing, Gohan reappeared across the room, hands on the gravity controls. Vegeta raised his eyebrows as Gohan smirked. He twisted the knob, raising the gravity from from the 300xG it had been at, all the way up to 999xG, the limits that the machine was set with.

Gohan felt the forces of gravity begin to tug on him, putting in active effort to stand upright. The effort he had to put out was nothing to Vegeta's, though. The Saiyan Prince's face went red from exertion, and he went splay-footed in an effort to keep his balance.

"Are you ready, Vegeta?" Gohan grunted. As powerful as he was, his frame was under a bit of strain from the force.

"Tch" Vegeta grunted, aura flaring back with a vengeance as the red lights of the Gravity Chamber dimmed, lighting the whole room in bloodlight.

Simultaneously, Gohan and Vegeta leapt at each other. Vegeta lashed a kick out at the younger demi-Saiyan. Reaching down, Gohan knocked the attack to the side with one arm, and struck upwards with his other elbow, striking Vegeta in the chin, sending him back. Vegeta flipped backwards and, displaying an amazing amount of strength, sprung back with a handstand and flew back at Gohan with shocking speed.

Vegeta launched a low uppercut, Gohan crossing his arms to reduce the impact. Lowering his arms, he prepared to counter, but was met with a wall of violent blue energy. The force of Vegeta's surprise blast sent him flying across the room.

Grunting, Gohan threw the blast aside and landed, feet crashing through the floor. Gohan thrust his hands forward and unleashed a wide stream of energy, blasting at Vegeta, who narrowly evaded the attack. Taking advantage of the motion, Gohan appeared beside Vegeta and landed a solid blow to Vegeta's chest. Vegeta spat, staggering backwards as he clutched his chest.

Gohan ducked down and swept his legs under Vegeta's. Not falling for it, Vegeta jumped over the sweep and struck downwards at Gohan's prone form. Gohan pushed off the ground, evading the spot and gaining some distance from Vegeta. Energy spiking, Gohan and Vegeta charged each other and began trading blows.

Vegeta pushed Gohan's final attack aside, and delivered a fierce headbutt to Gohan's head, flooring him. Gohan clutched the struck area, hissing as he felt a warm trickle from his broken skin. Looking up, he chuckled. "See, Vegeta, you don't give yourself enough credit" he said. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself back to his feet. He smiled, it was time to give him exactly what he wanted. And deep inside, the floodgates opened.

Gohan's power exploded outwards. The shimmering aura transformed into a vortex or blueish white power, reflecting off of his body. His expression grew more serious, and his strength expanded beyond his limits.

Gohan looked at Vegeta, smirking, all strain gone from his body. "Are you ready, Vegeta?" he asked.

Vegeta's eye twitched slightly, frowning as his own power increased. Contrary to Gohan's, though, the power increase wasn't as massive. Vegeta hit his ceiling.

Gohan skated backwards across the floor, crackling energy gathering in each hand. Vegeta clasped his own hands together, energy glowing between them. The gathered energy spiked, and Vegeta unleashed a storm of blasts towards Gohan.

Gohan smashed his hands together, launching a single large blast through the air. It crashed through each and every one of Vegeta's attacks. The sphere approached Vegeta at alarming speeds, smashing into his still outstretched hands and detonating, blasting Vegeta into the wall.

Sliding forward, Gohan grabbed Vegeta by the leg and pulled him out of the wall, tossing him across the room, where the Saiyan prince landed on all fours, panting heavily. Staggering back to his feet, he wiped a trail of blood from his mouth. "Looks like you aren't a coward after all" he chuckled.

"What did you expect? I fought Buu single handedly, after all" Gohan retorted.

Vegeta nodded, expression hardening. "So, this is your full strength?" he asked.

"More or less" Gohan smirked.

"It better be less" Vegeta spat. "I don't want to be subjected to anything less than your maximum!" Spreading his hands wide once more, he began gathering energy, however, this time much more violent, crackling yellow.

Gohan's eyes widened. "Vegeta, are you sure about this?"

His only answer from the Saiyan prince was his hands smashing together, forming an enormous ball of power. Realizing Vegeta was serious, Gohan reached up and clamped his hands above his head. "Maaaaaaseeeeeeeeenkoooooooo..." he chanted, his own power swelling before him. Feeling Vegeta's power spike, he unleashed it as quick as he could. "HAAAAAAAAA!" he screamed, unleashing the yellow energy blast.

"Final FLASH!" Vegeta bellowed, his own volatile blast exploding outwards, roaring as it closed the difference between them.

The two energy waves clashed brilliantly in the center, grinding to a standstill as sparks shot outwards. Gohan maintained his energy output, keeping his blast just as strong while Vegeta's steadily lost its ground. The heightened gravity was beginning to take its toll on Vegeta as his strength was sapped away.

"Come on, Vegeta, we both know you've got more than that!" Gohan roared over the spectacular clash. "You asked for my all, _now give me yours!_ "

Gohan increased his power ever so lightly, beginning to truly push Vegeta's own attack aside. Vegeta growled, veins bulging, before his power suddenly skyrocketed. Not having expected the sudden massive surge in power, Gohan lost much of the ground he had gained in the struggle. His eyes widened. " _Did that seriously do it? Did he ascend?"_ he wondered. He couldn't see Vegeta around the blast collision, but his power was much higher than it had been.

Deciding that it was time to end it, Gohan shouted as he opened the floodgates, and his attack nearly doubled in power. The Masenko shoved through the Final Flash, careening both attacks back at Vegeta. There was a massive explosion as both blasts detonated simultaneously, a force roughly similar to a nuclear bomb shaking the very air and tearing outwards.

The sounds of crumpling metal filled his ears as any sign of pressure from the atmosphere vanished completely. He lowered his hands and his power to see a scene of destruction that awaited his eyes. Vegeta had been punched into the wall, and lied in an almost cartoon hole in the shape of his body, directly in the wall. For some reason, his body was incredibly bulked up. Several of the massive tiles that made up the floor of the chamber were uplifted, revealing the circuitry beneath, and a massive crash sounded behind him as one of the large ceiling plates crashed to the surface below.

"I thought this place was immune to blasts!" Gohan exclaimed. The place as an absolute mess. It was like they had stepped into a war zone, although a war probably could have done less damage. He stared with a horrified fascination as Vegeta's body seemed to deflate, shrinking until he fell out of the wall. He was grateful to hear a slight groan of pain from his body.

His flaming white and blue aura faded away, and the power left his body. His forehead was bleeding lightly, his body was a little stiff and sore from the high gravity exertion, but it was nothing but slight compared to Vegeta's. His frame was more cuts and bruises than skin at the moment, and his arm appeared to be bent at an unnatural angle. He groaned. "Maybe I went a bit overboard…" he said.

"No… Good…" Vegeta groaned from the floor, somehow still conscious. He chuckled, head slowly twisting up to look at him with one eye, the other one swollen shut. "Not bad… For a brat…"

Gohan ran over, pulling Vegeta to his feet. "You said Bulma made the Gravity Chamber blast-proof" he said accusingly.

"Absorbs direct energy… Not detonations... Aftershocks..." Vegeta grunted, shaking Gohan's support away as he shakily stood. He glanced around. "She's going to be pissed…"

Gohan paled, being targeted by Bulma's rage was almost as bad as being the victim to his mom's. "What do we do?" he asked.

Vegeta grunted. "Healing pods…" he said. "Three rooms… To the right…"

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Healing pods, wasn't that Saiyan tech?" A growl from Vegeta told him that it wasn't the time to question it. "Gotcha."

Gohan shoved a rather large panel out of the way, clearing the door and letting Vegeta stumble ahead. He looked around the room, and was grateful that he was able to find his shirt and watch hadn't been crushed by the damage. He walked over and gathered them up, putting them back on as he made to exit.

He was fastening his watch on more securely as he entered the room Vegeta had said the pods were in. He looked around as he got a bad flashback of Frieza's spaceship. There were ten large pods made of white metal lining the walls, each one covered by a glass dome. The nearest one to the door had something extra, an inside filled with blueish green energy and one middle-aged Saiyan.

Gohan adjusted his shirt, attempting to hide the scorch mark that it had received by Vegeta's initial attack. It wasn't hardly noticeable on his vest, which was already black, but his white undershirt, however, was a different story. Not being able to find a suitable angle, he removed his vest for a moment and flipped his shirt inside out, hiding the burnt part inside.

Deciding that it was good enough, he smoothed it back out and put his vest back on. What was visible from the inside was mostly covered by it. He looked up, watching Vegeta again. He appeared to be resting inside the pod, which made sense. There wasn't exactly anything to be done besides take a nap while waiting in a pod, from the looks of it.

"You pulled out some real power at the end there" he said, still surprised. Vegeta was at his limits as a Super Saiyan 2, yet found a way to tap into even more power. Still, he wasn't quite as strong as Super Saiyan 3, he hadn't gone that far.

His brow furrowed, and he remembered the moment following the conclusion of their fight. Vegeta had seemed extremely swollen, his muscle mass doubled, maybe nearly tripled. He thought back to the time he and his dad had spent training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, when his dad seemingly surpassed the Super Saiyan barrier for the first time. He had increased his power by a ton, but the added muscle mass reduced his speed. The second and third grade of Super Saiyan, they had increased power output, but the way they were handled caused additional strain on the body, and depending on how much extra power was used, the additional bulk it caused could severely impact speed.

He had never considered it, but perhaps Vegeta had increased the strength of an ascended Super Saiyan in the same manner, a Super Saiyan 2's power, increased to the second or third grade. It was actually a brilliant move by Vegeta, and he saved the power for a moment where his impacted movement speed wouldn't be an issue. That was Vegeta for you, for how hotheaded and superior he acted, he earned a lot of his bluster. Maybe not all of it, but a lot.

"Rest up, Vegeta" Gohan said, raising a hand in farewell. He'd come back to apologize to Bulma later, but for now, he should be getting back to Satan City, and besides, if he was caught in the initial explosion of her anger, then he'd probably end up needing a healing pod of his own.

A quick look at his watch told him that he had passed a good portion of time at the building, which surprised him. It felt like it had been twenty minutes tops since he arrived, but apparently, he had spent more than he realized, the time being well past six now. School still didn't start for over an hour, but for now, he should probably escape before Bulma caught wind of the damage they had caused. He would help, but he'd prefer to escape the initial outburst.

Making sure he was presentable, Gohan walked back down the halls, making his way out the way he came. He was surprised neither Bulma nor Trunks had gotten up to see the disturbance yet, but took it as a sign of good luck. Making a silent promise to come back and help fix the gravity chamber later on, he slipped out the front door and made his way back towards Satan City.

It would be longer than he realized before he'd be able to own up to his promise.

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

 _RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP_

Videl's foot tore straight through the sandbag, spilling the contents all over the floor and sending a plume of dust into the air. Coughing, Videl waved her hands and shook away the dust. She groaned, they were beginning to run low on punching bags. They were rich, so it wasn't much of an issue, but it was still bothersome nonetheless.

Panting a little, Videl went to go grab the broom. The mess had to be cleaned up before she could go grab another bag. Tossing the bag to the corner, she began to sweep all the sand aside.

It hadn't been the most restful night for Videl. Her brain was working too fast for something like sleep to be easy. The longer she had to sit next to Gohan without having solid proof of his secrets, the more it drove her crazy. She was Videl Satan, the truth seeker. Yet somehow, almost a month into the school year, this mysterious youth continued to evade her. She was sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that Gohan was the one, that he was Saiyaman, yet the lack of anything substantial was becoming more frustrating.

It was Gohan. Saiyaman's reaction to her insinuations yesterday were all the proof that she needed to be sure of that much. What she didn't know is how she went from here. She was still upset that she missed her glimpse at his face yesterday. She had been too focused on that fatcat to look while his helmet was still chipped. Hell, for that matter, how did he fix it with his bare hands?

Videl finished sweeping up her mess, setting the broom to the side then making to grab the next sandbag. Hefting it on her shoulder, she made her way back over towards the center of the room, where she could hang it. With a large heave, she slung the bag on the hook and stepped back. She was tempted to keep going, but part of her knew that she had blown off enough steam for the morning.

Getting in one last solid blow, sinking her fist into the bag, she was satisfied and made her way out of the room. " _Gohan had better be at school today"_ she thought. The more time she spent around him, the more she could study, especially during gym. That first class her father had taught had been suspicious enough. Gohan was clearly stronger than he let on. Perhaps that was her way in.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the ground suddenly trembled violently. Her whole world began rocking, shocking the young dark-haired Satan as she fought to maintain her balance.

The tremor only lasted a moment, and she recovered quickly, looking around confusedly. The last time Satan City had had an earthquake was when that Bibidi guy had shown the image of the man who had fought Buu back when he was still less aware.

This time, though, it had felt different. She waved her hand in the air. Either she was crazy, or the tremor seemed to start in the air, not the ground. She was sure that it was just the disorientation talking, but it was still an odd sensation.

Shaking off the effects of the tremor, Videl continued to walk down the hall, stretched her arms as she went, keeping limber after her workout. She turned the corner to walk into the kitchen, looking for something to eat. After looking through the fridge, she decided to just grab some milk and pour a bowl of cereal. Standing up from the fridge, she turned around to set it on the table, and started. Across the room from her, Buu was standing, looking out the window. She gave herself a moment. Seeing Buu around the house was still something she was getting used to.

"Hey Buu, I didn't see you there" Videl said cheerily. "How's it going?"

Buu didn't answer, or even move for that matter. Videl saw no sign that Buu had even heard her. A part of her wondered if Buu was asleep, but she hadn't seen Buu sleep even once during the whole time he had been staying with them. She wasn't sure how his alien physiology worked, maybe he didn't even need sleep.

She got confirmation that he was conscious when she heard a small whimper, which really caught her attention. " _Since when does Buu whimper?"_ she wondered. He was probably one of the more powerful beings on the planet under her dad, but that sound was unmistakably one of fear.

Brow furrowing, Videl set the jug of milk on the table. "Buu, are you alright?" Videl asked, approaching the large pink alien.

Buu seemed to react that time, looking back at Videl. "Buu feel Buu" he said. "Buu shouldn't be able to feel Buu."

" _Buu shouldn't be able to feel Buu?"_ Videl wondered. Buu's loose grasp of the language they spoke was becoming more of a problem. " _Maybe he's feeling a stomachache?"_ she wondered. It wouldn't surprise here, an entire class of preschoolers could consume less candy than he did on a regular basis.

"Bad Buu…" Buu muttered.

Deciding that she wasn't sure what to do to help her father's alien friend, she shrugged, figuring that it would pass. Hell, maybe it would teach him a little restraint for the future. Sitting back at the table, she poured her bowl of cereal and began to eat hurriedly. She had learned to eat as fast as she could, as her meals had been interrupted on several occasions by calls to work. She still paced herself as to not upset her stomach, however.

Several mouthfuls of the hearty cereal later, she heard another pair of heavy feet approach, as well as the pitter patter of smaller paws, as her dad and Bee entered the kitchen. Looking up, she waved good morning to her dad, not wanting to speak with her mouth full. Reaching down, she pet Bee as he ran past her.

"Good morning, Pumpkin!" Hercule said cheerfully as he came in.

Finishing her mouthful, Videl stood up and walked over. "Morning, dad" Videl smiled, reaching up and hugging her father. Releasing her brief embrace, she sat back down and continued her breakfast.

Hercule unravelled the paper he was carrying and sat down across the table from his daughter. "So how did you sleep last night, Videl" Hercule asked.

Videl shrugged as she swallowed another bite. "Okay, I guess" she said. "I didn't sleep much, but I'm okay."

"Now, now, Videl, you know very well that it's impossible to function one-hundred percent without rest" Hercule waggled his finger. "I should know, as World Champ, I need a great knowledge of body conditioning!"

Videl rolled her eyes. "I know, Dad, but I'm fine, honestly" she said. "Sometimes I stay up late because I'm thinking about a case, is all."

"Videl, you don't need to carry the entire force on your back" Hercule laughed. "Even if you're strong enough for it."

"Half the men on the force would be dead and there would be about twice as many unstopped crimes without me, so I kinda do" Videl countered, taking another bite. "I know you're worried about how much time I spend at my job sometimes, but I have a legacy to live up to. If I'm gonna save to world too, I've got to start small."

"Hah hah! That's my girl!" Hercule chuckled. "You're… Er… Following in your old man's footsteps, yeah!"

Videl rolled her eyes. "You would think with the amount of times you've said that, you could say it without stuttering over it" she playfully jabbed.

Hercule chuckled a bit more and brought up his paper, essentially giving up. Videl shrugged and drank the last few dregs of milk in her bowl. Carrying the now empty bowl over to the sink, she rinsed it out and dropped it. "I'm going to go get ready for morning patrol, Dad" she said.

"Alright, pumpkin, but don't shrug off everything I said before" Hercule chuckled. "I'm proud of you, but you don't need to do everything."

" _No, I don't"_ Videl thought with a twinge of annoyance. " _Saiyaman will swoop in no matter if I'm there or not."_ She put a smile on her face. "Don't worry, Dad, I won't do _everything_ " she said.

"Heh, alright Videl" Hercule chuckled. "I'll be at your school in a couple hours, so just make sure you don't get caught up."

"Okay" Videl agreed to put an end to it.. As she was about to make her way out, she remembered something. "Oh, Dad?"

"Yeah?" Hercule asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think Buu's not feeling too well" Videl said. "We was acting odd and saying 'Buu feels Buu.' I figured he had a stomachache or something."

At that moment, something odd happened. Her dad's expression changed from one of questioning to one of shock and, if she didn't know him any better, fear? "B-Buu feel Buu, huh? Well, um, y-yeah, probably just a stomachache. I'll, well, give him some pepto-bismol or something before we go, yeah."

Her father's odd behavior was not lost on Videl, but she was too focused on getting out the door to respond. Giving a quick wave, Videl ran upstairs to grab her backpack and jetcopter capsule. Both in hand, Videl ran out the back door and tossed the latter onto the ground, jumping in and starting it up. Once the engine was purring, Videl took to the skies.

Downtown was usually a mess of crime, so she tended to start her patrols over in that area and work her way outwards through the city. She was considering stopping at a coffee place down not too far from her house on her way to patrol when a flash of color distracted her. She blinked as she traced a familiar green and red object streaking through the air. " _Saiyaman!"_ she thought, pressing down on the gas and giving chase. She never often found Saiyaman in the air while she was flying, and she wasn't going to let the opportunity go to waste.

The city below her became unfocused as she chased the masked crimefighter. She smirked as she began to see Saiyaman drawing closer. She floored it, giving it all she had. Then Saiyaman's head turned…

One moment, Saiyaman was barely fifty feet in front of her, and the next moment, he just seemed to have vanished! Videl slowed to a stop, almost fast enough to give her whiplash. "No way!" Videl said, a hint of anger in her voice. "People can't just do that!" She knew Saiyaman was fast and could fly, but he didn't have any sort of cloaking powers to her knowledge. So how did he just vanish?

She wheeled around in the air, doing a 360 to check the skies. No sign of anyone, Saiyaman or otherwise, up here. Videl huffed. "That guy's good at getting away, I'll give him that" she admitted. She then smirked. "But your real identity can't stay hidden forever. I'll see you at school, _Gohan._ "

* * *

Gohan chuckled quietly as he stood back up. As Videl began to fly off, he jumped backwards off of the top of her jet copter and floated down towards the rooftops. "She's tenacious, I'll give her that" he said. But as long as he moved smart, with his abilities, she wouldn't ever be able to catch him. He'd have to mess up pretty bad to end up in her clutches!

Settling down on the nearest roof, he let out a breath and looked skyward. The day was still pretty heavy overcast, but it was beginning to get brighter out, even through the cloud layer. A brief glance at his watch put him at a little past seven in the morning. " _Perfect, I have time for a good patrol and still be able to make it to school on time!"_

His ears picked up the sharp, telltale sound of tires screeching. Wasting no time, Gohan shot off of the rooftop towards the sound, blitzing past buildings on either side of him as he began to pick out the sounds of sirens in the distance.

A rather large armored truck was racing down the highway. Gohan picked up on three ki signatures located within, and pick up on a sense pressure in each. As he descended for a closer look, he could make out several lumpy sacks piled in the rear, as well as the barrel of a gun poking out of a window.

" _Okay, that pretty much takes any chance of this being anything innocent out of the equation"_ Gohan decided. Ki surging, Gohan darted down through the air and settled down in front of the truck, flying backwards just ahead of him.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you men to pull over" he announced loudly, in his heroic voice.

Getting the response he had expected, yet hoped against, one of the occupants of the truck leaned out side and took aim at him. The bullets flew at him at rapid speeds, rapid for a normal human, that is. Reaching out, Gohan let the ki flow into his palm, catching each bullet and allowing to to disintegrate into nothingness just as fast. Focusing it to a sharper point, Gohan let loose a razor-sharp blast, penetrating the truck's front tires.

As the vehicle began to spin out, Gohan dashed forward and grabbed onto it, keeping it from hitting anything or anyone. He let go as the doors flew open and the three men inside jumped out, weapons aimed at him.

"Really now, boys?" Gohan asked, chuckling. "You've seen what I can do to bullets, do you think you're going to do anything I can't handle?"

The man who had been driving chuckled. "Even you can't catch bullets from three different directions, Saiyaman" he said in a gruff voice. "You're still human, unless you've got a third arm up your ass somewhere."

" _If only they knew"_ Gohan thought. "I'll give you mean one more chance to stand down on your own before I take you out myself" he warned.

The second man sneered. "Tough words" he said, cocking his gun. "For a dead man!"

It all happened in slow motion. Gohan could see the muscles in their fingers tense as they retracted to pull the trigger. In an instant before any of them could let one bullet fly, all three weapons were in his hands, and with some supercharged ki, melted into a puddle on the ground.

Gohan flashed a smile. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Traces of fear entered all of their eyes. "W-wait now, don't you-!"

* * *

"It looks like it's all here" the commander of the squad nodded. "Everything except their weapons."

Gohan rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, sorry about that. I was just taking them out of play."

The chief wiped his forehead. "I don't know how you melted down heavy artillery like that out here, and something tells me I don't want to know. Although judging by the security footage and the reports, it may have been best that they were disposed of before my men got involved."

"I'm just doing my duty to make the city a better place, sir" Gohan said.

The commander shrugged. "Hey, trick or no, it's doing something here, so I'll take what I can get."

He still wasn't comfortable with the abilities he and his friends and family worked so hard to achieve being written off as tricks, but he was getting used to hearing it by now. He simply shrugged. Sensing a very familiar energy rapidly approaching, he gave a quick wave to the commander and took to the sky, getting far away from the scene before Videl had a chance to see him.

He looked at his watch. "Give me about seven more of those, and I might just be occupied until school starts up" he said. "It only took a couple minutes to deal with that. Things are just _way_ too easy nowadays."

He changed course, looping up around a skyscraper and depositing himself on the roof. Making sure there were no security cameras up here, he removed his helmet and took a breath of fresh air, letting the rest of his head feel the cool air, especially welcome after time in his helmet.

He sat there, legs dangling off the rooftop, helmet resting in his lap as he surveyed the streets below. He was focused on stopping anything bad that might happen, but it was also nice to just relax above the stress of the streets. He took a deep breath, letting in the fresh air, and let it out…

 _Rrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmm…_

A powerful shockwave crashed through the area, shaking the building and striking Gohan with surprising force. Momentarily losing his balance, he placed his arms down to steady himself. In doing so, however, his helmet rolled from his lap, falling towards the street below.

He didn't notice the sudden lack of the object in his lap for a moment, however, focused on recovering from the shockwave. His eyes widened as he realize it wasn't there. "Crap!" ho shouted, looking down below. Before he was able to find it, a sharp, swift sound of metal and glass shattering carried up from the street to his perch.

He froze, chills running down his back. Narrowing his eyes, he was barely able to make out shards of orange and black littering the street. He quickly pulled back, shielding himself from view. "Oh… crap…" he breathed.

His tunic and cape were good and all, but the only thing that really disguised him _was his helmet!_ His Saiyaman disguise was next to useless without it. " _I can't fight crime"_ he realized with a start. " _I can, but anyone would find me out in a second! Especially Videl! I'd be labelled a freak in no time, I'll never be able to fit in!"_

His mind drifted to Bulma. " _Maybe she can make me another"_ he thought. " _Then I'll be able to-"_

A sudden vision of a totaled gravity chamber floated to the front of his mind, and he cringed. " _On second thought… maybe not…"_

He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Okay, let's see hear, don't focus on the problem, focus on the solution" he told himself. His eyes drifted to the bang hanging in front of his face. His black bang. "You know, I never thought I'd miss being able to go Super Saiyan." The rage-induced form always left him feeling angry, as was the basis for the state, but if nothing else, it would have been useful in helping him survive the day. He could always play The Phantom card, using his high speed to deal with situations and get out before he was even visible. But, there were also several situations where he couldn't maintain speed the entire time.

He groaned as the obvious solution came to mind. Drop his Saiyaman act for the day and make some placeholder helmet when he got home. He pulled a face. Videl was called out for crimes at least every day, and more than occasionally two or three times a day. And more of those _situations_ were carrying heavier artillery than he prefered. Hell, what had amounted to simple _pawn shop robbery_ (yes, the evidence in the truck had been several bags full of antiques from a local pawn shop) had been met with a few automatic weapons.

He stood up. Videl was strong and fast enough to take care of herself, but she was still a normal human, and normal humans weren't bulletproof in the slightest. If he stayed away, he risked her getting hurt or possibly worse. If he went, he was almost sure to be found out by Videl and any other witnesses present (way too many of these crimes happened in heavily populated areas).

He wiped his forehead. "Wow, of all the bad luck, my helmet had to go and fall… You know what? I need to get it reinforced next time. Musuka was able to crack it with a pistol. I don't need this happening again, this is way more stressful than it should be."

He stood up. With all his heart, he hoped that there would be no major calls today. He had only known Videl for a few weeks, but from what he had heard, she could handle quite a lot. She also tended to be overconfident in her abilities, and it made him wonder how she had survived some of her jobs with the close scraps they've had just since he arrived.

With a dejected sigh, he reached down and pressed the button on his watch. The brief surge of static fizzled across his body, and his Saiyaman suit disappeared. He took a cautious glance over the side of the rooftop and was glad to see that there were no signs of the orange shards of his helmet remaining on the street. They had disappeared with his tunic, which he was thankful for. One less piece of the mess to clean up.

He raised his hand, feeling the ki flow beneath his skin. If he didn't have his disguise, that meant he'd have to be really careful about moving. He couldn't help but think to the first time he made a move without a disguise. When they called him "The Phantom", he had almost been made right then because the cameras at the bank still caught a few images of him.

"I'll just have to keep my speed up" Gohan determined. "Move too fast for anything to catch a sight of me."

He took a brief glance at his watch. There was still a good fifteen minutes until class started. " _Looks like I might be getting to school early for a change"_ he chuckled. " _It's the end of the world."_

Not realizing the irony at the moment, Gohan's energy spiked, and he vanished off of the rooftop. Having been caught up in the heat of the moment, worrying about his helmet, he also forgot about something else.

What was that tremor?

* * *

 **Orange Star High**

* * *

Skidding to a halt fast enough to leave scorch marks on the rooftop, Gohan landed on the top of his school. He had been fortunate enough that the roof was devoid of others. There had been a few occasions where he had had to wait around or find another spot to land because people had been up there.

Hiking his backpack more firmly upon his shoulders, he opened to door and strode down into the building. He was surprised at how much activity there was in the halls, having never really been here at this time.

He melted into the crowd, making his way down the hall. He wasn't sure what he was gonna do. Sure, there wasn't much time, but he wasn't the type to just sit still. He had all his homework done, so he didn't have any work he could wrap up. Maybe…

"Hey, Gohan!"

Gohan looked up, hearing his name. Glancing around, he saw Erasa waving at him, Sharpner right next to her. Cracking a grin, he walked on over. "Hey Erasa, hey Sharpner" he greeted.

"What's up, Brains?" Sharpner nodded.

"Well look who's here on time for a change" Erasa said, giggling lightly.

Gohan chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Well, what can I say, I got out of the house early today." " _A couple hours early, I guess."_

Sharpner snorted. "Surprised it took you this long to do that" he said. "I mean, you're late half the time, wouldn't you want to leave earlier?"

Gohan shrugged. "I guess I never really thought about it too hard. It's far enough as it is, I guess."

At this, Sharpner chuckled. "You're telling me. You've got a stronger will than me to make a commute like that every day to be stuck in a classroom for seven hours."

"What can I say?" Gohan asked. "I guess I'm just that-"

"Dedicated to your education" Erasa finished.

"Oh yeah, I guess I've said that before" Gohan realized, blushing slightly at his error.

"You drop the bomb that you do a couple hundred mile commute then brush it off like that, you're gonna leave a lasting impression, Brains" Sharpner pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess so" Gohand admitted.

Erasa giggled at his flustered expression. "We were about to go grab some breakfast before class started, want to join us?"

"Breakfast?" Gohan asked. Normally, he'd be jumping at the chance for food, especially considering he had left his home without any that morning. But, he wasn't feeling too hungry. "I guess I could join you guys."

"Awesome, come on then" Erasa said, turning and walking down the hall. Sharpner followed her briefly after, with Gohan trailing behind Sharpner.

They made their way to the cafeteria, which was rather empty compared to the lunchtime rush. As they walked through the line, Gohan found himself appreciating his packed lunches more and more. He wasn't sure how normal humans could survive on portions so _tiny!_

Gohan got a small omelet (or so it was called. It was just an egg folded over some strange smelling cheese). Sharpner got a small carton of cereal, and Erasa got a yogurt parfait. 'Food' in hand, the trio went to sit down at a table.

Gohan cut a small piece off of his food and chewed. At once, he had clarity on the jokes that were always made about cafeteria food. The egg was rather bland, and the cheese almost tasted of plastic. What little appetite he had evaporated with that bite. He pushed his plate away a bit as Erasa struck up a conversation.

"So, Gohan, Sharpner and Videl told me something interesting about you" she said, smiling.

Gohan raised his eyebrows. "Really?" he asked.

"How come you never mentioned you were a fighter?" Erasa asked. "I heard that you gave Videl a run for her money, and she's the Champ's daughter!"

"Well, I'm not really a fighter…" Gohan lied. "I did some training with my dad when I was younger, but I was never a real big fan of it." That part wasn't a lie. As much as it ticked off Vegeta, his Saiyan half didn't do much to keep him from preferring the pacifist's life.

"Your dad must be one hell of a teacher then" Sharpner chuckled. "You had the whole field watching you two, Videl could barely touch you out there!"

"I couldn't do much to her either" Gohan pointed out.

"Come on, that sweep at the end was beautiful" Sharpner complimented. "I'm top of my group at the Satan Dojo, and that even caught me off guard."

" _So much for not showing off"_ Gohan mentally facepalmed. "I mean, muscle memory, and everything…" he chuckled nervously.

"I swear, if you got your training when you were younger, it would have been something if you had been in the Junior Division at the WMAT with Videl" Sharpner continued.

"Did someone mention me?" a voice sounded from behind them.

Erasa looked around Gohan and Sharpner. "Oh, hey there, V!" she waved. Gohan and Sharpner turned to greet Videl as she came and sat down with them.

"Good morning, guys" Videl yawned, sitting down and getting settled.

"Hee hee, wow, both you and Gohan are on time today. What's up with that?" Erasa giggled.

"Well, there was a crime this morning, but by the time I got there, Saiyadork had already taken care of it" Videl said, glancing at Gohan as she talked, seemingly searching for a reaction, and appearing disappointed when his face remained passive. "It looked to be a calm morning, so I came in. Simple as that."

"Oh, makes sense" Sharpner commented.

Videl nodded. "So, did I hear someone mention my name when I was coming in?" she asked.

"Yeah, I did" Sharpner said. "Gohan was telling us about how he had gotten his training in when he was younger with his dad. I just thought it would have been something special if he had been in the Junior Division with you back when he was freshly trained."

Videl looked to Gohan. "So your father was the one who trained you, huh?" she asked.

" _Why don't they stop talking about my fighting abilities?!"_ Gohan screamed internally. " _There are other topics of conversation!"_ "Yeah, my dad trained me when I was younger. Where he lived, he had to learn to fight early on because of bandits and other things like that. He wanted to make sure we could defend ourselves."

"He must have been one hell of a teacher if this is what you're left with after not fighting at all" Videl commented, unknowingly echoing Sharpner. "Who was your father, Gohan?"

Gohan scratched the back of his head nervously. "My dad? He was, well, my dad, I guess. Pretty strong and brave, and a really good guy to be around."

"That's not what I meant" Videl corrected. "What's your dad's name?"

"W-what? Why would you want to know his name?" Gohan asked.

"Humor me" Videl said. "You said he's been travelling for the past several years, he's bound to have a name out there. I just want to know if I've heard of him."

"Hey, yeah, who knows, maybe your dad might have been at one of the tournaments back in the day, if he's a good fighter like you say" Sharpner said.

Gohan began to feel the pressure. He couldn't exactly turn them down, and he couldn't help but get the feeling that Videl would know full well who Son Goku was. After all, her father was a very big figure in the WMAT circuit, and considering how much he had railed on so-called 'tricksters' in the past…

There wasn't any real way out, so it was time to bite the bullet and hope that she didn't know. He took a breath. "Well, my dad's name is-"

 _RIIIIIIIIIIIIING_

" _Saved by the bell?"_ Gohan wondered. " _I'll take it!"_ "Oh, well, it looks like we'd better hurry to class then" Gohan said. "We'll finish this later, I guess!"

"But it's just one name!" Videl said, but Gohan moved out of the cafeteria at a very high speed, grabbing his bag and disappearing into the crowd. "...Unbelievable" she muttered after a brief pause.

Sharpner raised his eyebrows, and Erasa looked questioningly at Videl. "You know, with the way he goes on about his dad, you'd think it wouldn't be so hard to just say his name" Sharpner said.

"I wasn't following that too much, but that was really weird" Erasa commented.

Videl, disappointed though she was, had a glimmer of triumph in her eyes. Gohan's reaction was even further assurance that he had something to hide. Whether or not her suspicions about him being Saiyaman were correct or not (which she was sure they were), he had something she was going to get to the bottom of.

The trio stood up, Erasa and Sharpner dumping their plates as they made for class. Class was about to start, as Gohan was so keen on. Grabbing their bags, they walked forth, blending in and vanishing into the stampede of students.

* * *

"And Son Gohan."

"Present, ma'am."

His teacher glanced up at him. "Ah, so you are here today. I noticed you were gone yesterday, do you have a note?"

Gohan shook his head. "I don't have a note, I was at home for personal reasons. You can call my mother if you need to make sure."

"Hmm" his teacher huffed. "You've been a trustworthy student, so I will take your word for it. Miss again without a note, however, and I will call home."

Gohan nodded. "Understood, ma'am" he answered.

She gave a curt nod. "Good. Now, class, today we will be moving on to…"

Gohan sat back and rubbed his eyes. Probably another day of something he learned between training for the Androids. It would be nice to be able to learn something _besides_ social skills.

He perked up slightly when he heard about the topic. Mrs. Jayce had mentioned the Red Ribbon Army. He knew most of the story behind them from his dad, but it was still interesting nonetheless.

Mrs. Jayce cleared her throat. "Now, most kids of this generation haven't heard much about the Red Ribbon Army. This is not a bad thing, as most of my generation were living in constant fear of being the next target of the group."

A couple seats beside him, Sharpner raised his hand. "Yes, Sharpner?"

He lowered his hand. "You said you guys lived in fear of being a target. What were they? A rogue faction or something?"

"I believe to be considered rogue, you have to have served a side first" Mrs Jayce said. "The Red Ribbon Army was an independent organization from their conception. Their main goal was seemingly world domination, they raised entire villages, towns, and even some cities to work towards their goal."

" _Now I remember"_ Gohan thought. " _They were aiming for world domination, but the commander of the army wanted to use the Dragon Balls to wish to be taller!"_ He snickered at the thought, attracting him a dirty look from his teacher.

"While _some of us_ find the idea amusing, believe me, the threat was very real" she continued. "The army was among the most technologically advanced group for the time, which is why they were able to fight against the Royal Army, even with the disadvantage in size. In fact, the only other organization to even compare to the army at the time was Capsule Corporation."

Gohan heard a few low whistles around the room, and he could see where they were coming from. For as advanced as Capsule Corp was today, it must have been considered borderline insurmountable that long ago. Even now, they were the leading technological department of the world. The Red Ribbon Army had only been so close behind them because of a single mind. " _Gero…"_ Gohan remembered.

Mrs Jayce took a second to flip on a projector. "The entire army beared their notable insignia" she said, turning on the image. The light flashed on, and a large image of the red ribbon, embroiled with two Rs, appeared on the wall. "Seeing this symbol anywhere was to be feared. They had a ruthless reputation, and were a global threat. Until one day, when the first reports came in."

Gohan leaned forward to listen. "While it sounded impossible then and still quite unlikely today, a single child went in and challenged the entire army, taking them head-on to end their bid for domination. This child, while more famous for his later defeat of the great Demon King, Piccolo, was Son Goku."

* * *

At the mention of Son Goku, Videl started. She already had a hair of knowledge about the Red Ribbon Army, having heard of it prior, that t was a powerful force until it was disbanded one day, but she had no idea that Son Goku was involved.

On a guess, she glanced sideways, looking st Gohan. Sure enough, his attention was more rapt on the teacher than it had been in the past week.

Her dad had defeated monsters like Cell and Buu, but the more she heard about Son Goku, the more impressed she became. Trickster or no, the man had been a World Tournament Champion, was the one who slayed Demon King Piccolo, and now she learned that he tackled an extremely dangerous military force on the level of the Red Ribbon Army? Why did Gohan hide something like that? She could understand from personal experience not wanting to constantly be in the limelight because you had a famous father, but she would hazard a guess that it would be a damn sight better than the treatment most students gave the 'nerd.'

* * *

"Son Goku was apparently a specific target of the Red Ribbon Army for unknown reasons. However, he is one of the few to fight back."

" _He was a target because of the Dragon Balls"_ Gohan thought. " _The Army was trying to collect them too."_

"He began fighting them almost 30 years ago, and was very effective in taking care of them. Son Goku's origins are unknown, but it is assumed he knew many techniques that assisted him, as well as, from what was witnessed, a powerful fighting sense and survival instinct."

" _Not to mention a love for a good challenge"_ Gohan chuckled inwardly.

"It is unknown exactly when the army fell, but sometime within a year of the first attack on the army, activity from them seemingly ceased permanently" Mrs Jayce finished. "Now, open up your history books to page 253 to learn more about them, and discuss what you learned amongst yourselves."

A quiet bustle followed her finishing, while Gohan and his friends turned inwards. Erasa was the first to talk. "Boy, am I glad I wasn't around back then" she said. "I mean, she said that even King Furry's army couldn't put them down."

"That's some pretty scary power" Sharpner agreed. "What I can't get past is that Goku kid who supposedly took them all down himself. How does a kid do that?!"

"I don't know, maybe he got some really good training and tools" Gohan shrugged, knowing full well a lot of it was his natural Saiyan abilities.

Videl looked up, phone in her hands. "I don't know if some training and gear would have been enough, guys. According to this site, with what's known about Son Goku and the Red Ribbon Army's fall, that would place Son Goku at just 12 years old. Heck, I was just past most of the kids in the Junior Division when I was 12."

"12?! No way" Sharpner shook his head. "Either that site or the history books have it wrong. Even if Son Goku could kill anyone he came across with a flick of his hand, how does a tween take out a worldwide military faction? That's insane! There's whole interworking networks and offshoots you'd have to destroy or disband, there's no way he could have done all that solo. He wouldn't have the knowledge for it."

" _He didn't disband it entirely"_ Gohan thought bitterly to the scientist that had caused his family so much torment. His expression darkened slightly. Perhaps things would have been different if his dad had taken them on when he was older, but then again, knowing how much he spared his foes, he suspected Gero would still have escaped to carry out his plans for the Androids.

In his brooding, Gohan failed to notice Videl glancing his way. " _What's on his mind? He almost seems angry about all of this"_ she wondered. She pulled a small face of her own. " _His dad probably brags as much about taking down this Red Ribbon Army as much as my dad brags about Cell. I know I feel like I'll scream every time someone brings up the Cell Games."_

" _I just wish that Dad could have finished the job"_ Gohan thought, hands clenching. " _If he had taken out Gero way back then, we could have been a family all this time. Trunks wouldn't have had to come from the future, and we wouldn't have had to have trained all that time, and Cell wouldn't have been around_ at all!" He knew he could hardly fault his father for that. After all, that quality of him was why they had allies in the likes of Piccolo and Vegeta, who had become their close friends (Piccolo more so than Vegeta). Still, knowing how a simple action could have changed the course of their life for the better was still an infuriating thought, and his ki began to rumble slightly beneath his skin.

Conversation around him abruptly halted. Videl looked around. "Hey, do you guys feel that?" she asked.

Gohan looked up, and realized just how intense the energy inside of him was. He took a deep breath and evened out his ki, stopping the vibrating feelings his body was exuding. He blinked, however, when he realized the sensation had not stopped.

"Students, under your desk!" Mrs Jayce announced hurriedly. "It seems as if we are having an earthquake!"

All the class slid out of their chairs and took cover underneath the hard tabletops as the tremors grew stronger. Various shouts of panic were heard over the tumult as the foundations of the school shook, and Gohan became worried that they were on the second floor. Not for his own safety, but for that of his classmates.

But it slowly crept up on him that there were bigger things to worry about.

As the tremors grew, Gohan began to feel chills running down his spine. This was no ordinary earthquake, he knew that much. He could feel the vibrations in the air, as if the very fabric of reality was shivering, and the tremors felt on their plane were byproducts. Each shake grew stronger than the last, crashing into him like waves in the ocean.

And abruptly, it stopped. At once, every last tremor ceased, and the only sign that there had been any to begin with was the scattered papers and covered students.

Hesitantly, everyone came out from under the desks, most of them hands placed on the surface so they could move under them quickly if need be. Mrs Jayce emerged from her cover under the desk. She looked around the room. "Is everyone okay?" she asked, taking a headcount.

Once everyone had affirmed that they were alright, she let out a sigh of relief. "Goodness, that was quite the jump, now wasn't it?" she said, laughing and trying to make light of the situation..

Some of the others laughed nervously, trying to get over the fright of the situation. The school had been rocking violently during the event, and it lasted for almost a minute. Gohan looked around, expression worried. " _Why do I have a bad feeling about this…"_ he thought. Everything felt alright now, but there was still an air of danger…

 _The calm before the storm._

He picked it up on the edge of his senses before it began striking him full on. All around him, everyone, across the planet, the world's energy began to warp and distort. Gohan placed his hands on the desk to steady himself, the sensation making him feel very disoriented. He noticed that whatever the heck was going on, this one wasn't as noticeable. No, the only reason he could sense it himself was because he had a very sharp sense of energy.

Similarly to the tremors, the distortion of the planet's energy stopped all at once, but now, it felt different. What filled him with a sense of dread were large cold pockets he felt all around the world, blank spaces in the planet's energy.

He glanced around the room, directing his senses in different directions as he tried to get a read on the situation. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the foreboding grew. It took three calls of his name to force him back into reality.

" _GOHAN!"_

Gohan blinked, coming aware of his surroundings once more, and saw Erasa, Sharpner, and Videl are staring at him, their faces displaying confusion and worry. "What is up with you?" Sharpner asked. "The quake's over, Brains."

"You look really pale" Erasa commented.

Videl looked at him slightly more analytic than the other two. "Is something wrong, Gohan?"

Gohan shook his head. "No, no" he said, clearing his throat. "I just… need to breath. Give me a second."

He stood up from his seat, walking over to the windows and cracking one open. The cool, fresh air hit him blissfully, and he inhaled deeply, trying to clear his mind. He could feel the back of his neck tingling, and he knew Videl was looking at him intently. " _Sweet Kami above, how can she establish her presence so well without_ any _ki control?!"_ he moaned internally. " _No one better ever teach her to actually use her ki, I don't know if I'd be able to take it."_

He clapped his hands up to his eyes. Everything he did was suspicious to that girl, and yet he had no idea why he cared so much. It's not like she had anything real to go off of. Yet she managed to be so intimidating that she was always distracting him. And this time, she was a little too distracting for the demi-Saiyan.

He lowered his hand with a sigh, ready to turn around, only to spike his ki immediately, defenses barely up in time for the blast of energy that struck the school. A wall of fire filled his vision as he pushed back with all his might, not letting it reach his classmates. The floor beneath him crumbled, as did the entire side of the wall, and he fell, disappearing with the falling rubble from sight.

He heard several screams, and prayed that he was fast enough as he reached down and clicked the button on his watch.

* * *

 **So, do you guys remember in my last update where I said I was hoping to get back in the swing of things and get some serious writing done this summer? Sorry about that…**

 **To be honest, as much as I love writing, the words just don't seem to come to me as easy anymore. Granted, the last half of this chapter came a lot easier than the first half, so maybe I can still work back up to it.**

 **Anyways, to the story itself. Gohan's sparring session with Vegeta served a twofold purpose. To change the upcoming story, and to warm up my fight writing. Because it's about to get real worked out.**

 **At this point, it should be obvious what the major reality rending and blast engulfing the side of the school mean, but I won't spoil anything. Suffice to say, there is a very large battle coming, with multiple on each side.**

 **It's going to be a little while before that update, though. As much as this story has been neglected, you know nothing about my other works. I have to at least give some attention to one of my other stories before I can justify coming back here for the next chapter. Let your imaginations run with this one, guys, because it's gonna be a bit.**

 **Werewingwolfxx - GT (don't hurt me).**

 **Faux Fox - yeah, I plan to integrate a lot of the future into the story, such as Krillin being on the force. They had to start from somewhere, after all, and I do enjoy linking things like that. And Icarus was something I wanted to do to be at least a little different than the average retelling of that particular event.**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - to be fair, she's seen Saiyaman do more than just get shot before. And Krillin does hold back whenever he can, we see in Super he even gets hurt by bullets keeping his power down.**

 **Tsukimine12 - I don't know, he could show up, or things might be completely different. Who can tell?**

 **Jalen johnson - yeah, it was a bit bad of me to leave things hanging around there, but my current motivation for Joined Worlds is pretty low. As I become more experienced as a writer, I can tell how much of a mary sue that story was.**

 **Blackblizzard13 - All I can say, is that this is going to be a very different telling of that story than you'll be used to.**

 **Zfj - Thanks, it's always heartening to see an author of works I've enjoyed myself enjoying my stories**

 **That's about all for now, guys. Hopefully, my productivity will kick back up soon, and chapter 9 will be up before any of you know it. Either way, I'll see you all later!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8 - The Loser Squad**

* * *

Tremors ran through the ground, shaking the very foundation of the school as the entire front wall of it collapsed into a pile of rubble on the grounds below. The screams of the students within could be heard for a long ways, and he was determined to ensure screaming was all that happened.

Gohan burst from the falling debris before it reached the ground, moving at speeds invisible to everyone below, ascending into the air and looking for the origin of the attack. His instincts spiked, and he wheeled around to see another blast coming straight at him.

Powering up, he sliced downwards, cutting the blast in half and detonating it harmlessly in the air. He finally made eye contact with the culprit. He blinked. "Hey, weren't you one of Frieza's soldiers?"

Floating in the air before him, there was a purple skinned alien, with an elongated skull. He wouldn't have been able to recognize him as one of Frieza's men if it hadn't been for the armor that he wore, the exact style that had been worn by the Saiyans that came to Earth and all of Frieza's army back on Namek.

The alien smirked. "So, you're this supposed highest power level on this planet?" he asked. "What a joke. Not even the Ginyu Force would be caught dead in rags like that."

Gohan growled. "I'd start talking if I were you" he threatened. "You just attacked a whole lot of innocent children, not the kind of thing I let happen lying down." He was tempted to raise his power to prove a point, but he doubted it'd have much effect on him. He wasn't wearing a scouter, and as he recalled, not many of the enemies they fought, especially back in the days prior to the Androids, ever had the skill to sense power, let alone the foot soldiers.

The alien smirked. "Tough words, coming from a dead man" he said.

At this, Gohan had to chuckle. He doubted that even at his weakest, this alien could ever scratch him. "I don't think you know just how out of your depth you are" he warned.

"I could say the same thing about you" the alien shot back. "Trust me, you won't be acting so cocky once Lord Frieza comes to kick your ass, you ape!"

"Listen, I don't know if you've heard, but Frieza's dead" Gohan said. "Been dead for over a decade. Your precious Lord isn't going to come save you from beyond the grave."

"Why not?" he said. "After all, I've been with him this whole time."

Gohan wavered for a second. " _Wait, what?"_ he wondered. "What do you mean?!" he accused.

The alien reached up and began charging an energy blast. "What I mean, is that the time for the living is past. The dead are coming back, and the universe is going to be ours once again!"

" _The dead are coming back?!"_

Gohan gritted his teeth as the blast flew at him. He tensed, detonating the blast long before it reached him with a pulse from his eyes. " _Frieza's coming back from the dead? Did someone use the Dragon Balls? No, can't be, they're all inert right now, here and on New Namek."_

He took a deep breath. Whatever was going on, he'd have to figure it out, and _fast._ And for that, he'd have to remain calm. "Well, if what you say is true" he said slowly. "I have no qualms about killing a dead man."

He was there before the alien could realize it, delivering a kick, rather weak to him, but instantly fatal to his foe, before aiming up and blasting the body, leaving no trace. He closed his eyes and concentrated. " _Piccolo? PICCOLO?!"_

" _Kid, I'm here, what's going on down there?!"_ Piccolo's stressed voice came through. " _Earth's energy is warping like mad, we can't get a read on anything."_

" _I don't know, but this alien that showed up said something about the dead coming back"_ Gohan said.

Piccolo let out a string of curse words very impressive for an isolated Namekian. " _Damnit, we should have been more vigilant!"_ he swore. " _King Kai told us the evil Buu was being cleansed today, and to look out for ripples down here. But we never expected anything like this!"_

Gohan made to respond, but gasped as he felt like his senses were dunked in ice water. He wheeled around, facing towards the heart of Satan City. An immense power had just made itself known. He didn't think it was Frieza, but whatever it was, it was dark, and it was powerful.

" _You need to get down here, Piccolo"_ Gohan said. " _Things aren't looking good."_

Without waiting for a response, Gohan dashed into the heart of the city, just as the first explosion rang up.

* * *

 **Orange Star High**

* * *

A wall of fire consumed the wall, scorching the entire classroom with the heat. The sound of metal shredding as the foundations were destroyed filled her ears and her mind. Instinctively, she raised her hands to help shield her body from the direct force of the assault. When the heat faded, she opened her eyes and was greeted with the open space between her and the two story drop outside.

A deep, cold pit in her stomach formed as the realization hit her that Gohan wasn't in sight. A look around the room showed that no one else appeared to be hurt, but many of her classmates were in shock. Erasa's hands were clenched, covering her mouth in fear, and Sharpner's jaw was hanging slightly.

Once the shock began to fade, most of the class began to scream from the tension. Videl was trying to stay calm when another explosion lit up the room from outside, causing the shouts to grow in volume. Against what all her instincts were screaming at her, Videl ran forward to the edge of the broken building, looking up in the sky.

Her eyes widened as she saw Saiyaman up in the sky. Anger began to flare. Saiyaman had attacked them? But then she noticed someone else floating in the air in front of Saiyaman, and they sent an explosion at the caped hero once again. A moment passed, before Saiyaman seemingly appeared in front of the other person and attacked them.

When he completely destroyed the other's body, it shocked Videl. Saiyaman had never killed, not even the salt of the Earth that clearly deserved it and much more. The next moment, Saiyaman took off towards the city, just as a large explosion from the heart of the city lit the sky orange.

Videl swallowed. "What the hell is going on out there?!" she asked, to no one in particular.

"CLASS, SETTLE DOWN!" Mrs. Jayce yelled at the class, trying hard to regain control of the students, appearing to be fighting down the will to freak out herself. "WE MUST EVACUATE THE BUILDING, COME CAREFULLY NOW!"

The students who could move made for the doorway, following Mrs. Jayce out, while Videl, ignoring the other thoughts spinning through her head, helped guide the rest out.

The hallways were pandemonium, sheer anxiety of the situation putting everyone into a "fight or flight" response. Flight was the tool of choice, it appeared. The entire school was filtering out to the fields behind the school. As they were located on the edge of town, moving away from the city was the obvious response.

 _The city._

Videl stopped in the middle of the chaos. The door out back was right in front of her, safety was just beyond those doors.

But…

"Videl!" her name rang through the crowd. She wheeled around to see Erasa and Sharpner fighting through the crowd to reach her.

Relief flooded through her as she saw them. She didn't know why, they were fine when she left the room, and there didn't seem to have been any more attacks. Still…

Erasa ran up. Getting close, Videl noticed tears in her eyes. "Videl, where's Gohan?" she asked. The sheer need in her voice almost broke her, the need to hear that she had seen Gohan, that Gohan was alright.

Videl wanted to respond with yes. She saw Saiyaman above the school, and for once, she didn't think Gohan was Saiyaman. She didn't 'know' Gohan was Saiyaman. No, she _hoped_ Gohan was Saiyaman. If Gohan had been killed by whatever freaks had attacked the school…

Her fists clenched subconsciously as she shook her head. A newfound doubt invaded her as she did. There was so much evidence that she had been right all this time, but if she wasn't, then Gohan, their friend, was gone.

A whimper escaped Erasa's throat, and a growl escaped Sharpner's. Videl didn't want to look at them straight in the eyes. She was Hercule Satan's daughter for crying out loud. People weren't supposed to get hurt near her, she was supposed to stop that!

Her resolve was steeled by her friends, both present and… otherwise. "I'm going out there" she said.

Sharpner looked at her like she was crazy. "Videl, you're strong, but there's a full on terrorist attack going on out there" he said. "How are you supposed to stop that?"

"I don't know" Videl said. "But I'm not just going to take this lying down. If anyone can help put a stop to this, I can."

There was a pregnant pause before the next reply. "Then I'm coming with you" Sharpner announced.

Now Videl and Erasa looked at him like he was mad. "I'm top of the age group at your dad's dojo, Videl" Sharpner said. "I'm not as good as you, but I'm good, and you need someone to watch your back out there."

Videl shot Sharpner a glare. "Thanks, but it's _my_ job to get in danger's way, not anyone else's" she said. "Especially one of my friends."

"You act like you can stop me" Sharpner challenged. "If those bastards took out Gohan, I want to go pay them back personally, and I'll go through you to do it if I have to."

The group was silent, even if the masses surrounding them were not. "You're not going to back down on this Sharpner?" Videl asked.

"About as likely as you" Sharpner replied.

…

"Fine, but we move now before any of the faculty try to stop us" Videl insisted. "And Erasa, promise me you'll get to safety as fast as you can."

Erasa nodded. "I will, Videl" she promised. "Give them a kick from me. For Gohan." Her voice broke at the end.

Fist tightening, Videl nodded. "For Gohan."

Erasa stepped forward, hugging both of the firmly, but briefly. She locked eyes with them one last time, before she rejoined the crowd, disappearing into the chaos.

Videl watched her until she disappeared from sight, before turning back to Sharpner. "I saw Saiyaman flying towards the center of the city" she said. "Knowing how he works, most of the problem should be there. That means that's where our job can be."

"Then we better move" Sharpner said.

Videl was mildly surprised, Sharpner was rarely this intent on something, but then again, he rarely had reason to. The two shared a brief nod, before they ran back the way they came, out of the school, and towards the city.

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

Gohan wheeled in the air, striking down many soldiers in a single sweeping attack, ki flaring so hot that they were vaporized by the force of the impact. He wasn't in the mood for a mess, after all. Screaming crowds of people were below, trying to evade the assault. Every time there was a ki flare nearby, he made to it in an instant and put a stop to it. " _No one's getting hurt on my watch."_ Turns out, when you're at the level he was at, and you're dealing with foes at this level, you really _can_ be everywhere at once!

He found himself flying into an intersection, as a what looked like an entire army streaked at him from two different angles. He brought his hands up above his head, clasping them together as golden-orange energy formed. As they neared, he shot his hands apart, aiming on either side of him. "Double Masenko!" he bellowed.

The two energy spheres erupted into blazing storms that tore through the ranks of enemies, leaving no trace besides the occasional fragment of armor. Satisfied that all the soldiers nearby were gone, he turned towards the center of the city. Citizens were still fleeing throughout the city, and he could sense many more of Frieza's cronies scattered throughout. He also felt the unmistakable power of Krillin in the midst, and judging by the way even more energy signatures were vanishing off to the side without a familiar signal, he guessed 18 had joined the fray as well.

Which left him only one target. He had enough faith that those two could see to the evacuation of the city that he could take care of the problem right in front of him.

The biggest rift he could feel was in the dead center of the city. It was a massive pocket of cold, emptiness, very much unlike the normal feeling of the Earth's atmosphere. The apprehension he received from it could almost put him off of the energy emerging from it. He vanished from sight, moving inwards, towards the pocket.

The street he arrived at had all the makings of a war movie. The street itself was devoid of civilians. Along the street, piles of concrete and other rubble made themselves separate from the buildings they lay at the feet of, the spots they once occupied now smoking with interior fire, most likely the work of some potshots by the soldiers he had fought on his way there.

And several familiar faces, all surprised by his sudden arrival.

Gohan's heels dug through the concrete as he halted himself, and faced down his enemies. "Oh, so you guys are the vanguard I sensed, huh?"

He couldn't help but let a smirk overcome his features. He was expecting someone like Frieza to be one of the first bosses out of that pit, if the alien was telling the truth. Well, it wasn't Frieza, but it appeared that he had been. These four were faces he had seen dispatched before his very eyes.

"This punk seems to know us" Jeice commented with his slightly warped australian accent. "Hey, are we familiar with your or somethin'?"

"He seems kinda familiar" Recoome admitted.

"Maybe, or maybe he's in way over his head" Guldo commented. "Hey, you, do you know who you are facing right now?"

"Of course" Gohan shrugged. "The Ginyu Force."

The fact that he knew them shocked them, that much was obvious, so Gohan decided to have a little more fun. "Yeah, Jeice, Burter, Guldo, and Recoome."

Recoome's jaw literally dropped, an image that made Gohan chuckle. Recoome was probably his least favorite of the bunch, having had nearly every bone in his body broken by the musclehead when he was just a kid. Guldo was a bit of a coward, while Burter and Jeice teamed up often to finish off opponents. They were probably the most honorable of the bunch, which he respected to a degree. Still, anyone willing to serve Frieza…

His face took a stern expression. "So, I assume you guys are here to harm the planet. You of course realize that I'm not going to let you."

When he made this claim, the shock seemed to fade from the Ginyu Force. Jeice actually let out a laugh. "Well mates, it would seem our reputation precedes us, though obviously not enough to let this bloke know he's in over his head."

Gohan's spine shivered slightly, though not from Jeice's words. Another power crept into existence behind him, bleeding through the walls of reality and reconstituting itself. Three new sources appeared behind him.

"Hey, why'd you decide to crash our party" Burter asked with a frown. "This one's ours."

"We chose the rift that was the easiest to arrive in" another voice said from behind him. "Besides, if you're taking this long to deal with an earthling pest, maybe you're not cut out for this job."

A vein bulged on Jeice's forehead. "How dare ya'? Our Ginyu Force has accomplished more than your ripoff squad ever has."

Gohan had trouble pinpointing exactly who it was behind him, but he had a feeling that he knew, without even having to look.

"Cooler's Armored Squadron tends to prove its worth in quality, not quantity" the same voice said. "A mountain of stones is worth less than a diamond."

He turned. "Cooler's Armored Squadron, it's been awhile since I heard that name" he commented.

The figure that had been talking was the blue one. " _Salza"_ he recalled. " _The big green one… Dore, I think, and Neiz is the lizard guy."_

In contrary to the shocked reaction of the Ginyu Force, Salza simply smirked when Gohan seemed to recognize them. "And I take it from that _ridiculous_ getup that you're the hero of the planet? If they hadn't already claimed you as prey, I daresay I would have mistaken you for a new addition. You blend right in."

"It's _not_ ridiculous!" Gohan shouted defiantly. "Come here and say that to my face."

"Oh, you're a lively one" Salza laughed, the other two laughing with him.

"He's got spunk, I'd love to beat it out of him" Dore chuckled.

"How about we crush him under our boots, make sure he knows his place before he takes ours back in that barren torture dimension?" Neiz offered.

Salza waved them down. "No, he wanted me to say something to his face. Why deny him?"

He began stepping towards Gohan, swinging his arm down and letting a purple blade of energy form. "Now-"

"HEY, you can't just take our target like that!" Jeice yelled indignantly.

"Yeah, we saw him first!" Recoome complained.

"Are you going to make me hold you down until we get our turn?" Guldo asked.

"Sounds like the Ginyu's, a bunch of whiners" Dore laughed again. "How undignified."

Salza halted his walk. "But they're right, are they not?" he asked, dispersing his Sauzer Blade. "They were here first, after all."

Jeice smirked, angry vein still pulsing in his temple. "Yeah, that's right."

Salza walked around him. "How about this. An arm wrestling contest, winner's team gets the clown here, loser's team has to watch."

"Arm wrestling?" Burter laughed. "Pretty boy, you just squandered your chance at this guy. Recoome, how about it?"

"Oh boy, arm wrestling for keeps, been a while since we've been able to do that" Recoome laughed.

"Dore, I'm sure you can handle the doll over here?" Salza asked.

"It'll take two seconds flat" Dore promised strolling forward.

The whole time this was going on, Gohan simply stepped back, watching the scene play out with eyebrows raised. " _Is this really happening?!"_ he wondered. They were debating who got to kill him… by _arm wrestling. "I guess I can't be too surprised"_ he admitted. " _They did rock paper scissors for who got first turn at us on Namek."_

Dore and Recoome strolled towards each other, each grabbing a thick chunk of concrete on their way. They met in the middle, stacking the slabs to create a makeshift table.

Before they leaned down to wrestle, however, they backed away from their makeshift table. With a nod of what appeared to be respect, Recoome moved back. He leapt into the air, body contorting, coming down and landing perfectly on his heels, knees bend and arms locked in place, hands splayed out to the side. "I am RECOOME!" he shouted. Leaping once more, he spun in place, coming down solidly, flat-footed. He laid one hand across his chest and shot the other out to the side. "OF THE GINYU FORCE!"

Dore smirked. "That's all?" he asked. He brought one leg up and spun, reaching high above him (surprisingly flexibility for a man his size) and hands arched outwards. "DORE!" he announced. Twisting around, he planted his raised foot in the ground, reaching skyward with one hand and placing the other on his hip in what could only be described as a 'diva pose.' "OF COOLER'S ARMORED SQUADRON!"

Poses complete, they made their way back over to the makeshift table. They hunched over, hands extended towards each other, and grabbed on tight. Jeice and Salza walked around each side of the table, being spotters. Salza raised his hands. "On your mark, get set, GO!"

Muscles bulged in each of the teams' meatheads. Dore had the initial advantage, but Recoome was putting up a fight. It quickly went down in Dore's side, but progress slowed the lower he got, and at one point, Recoome began pushing back.

"RE-COOME, RE-COOME, RE-COOME, RE-COOME!" Guldo, Burter, and Jeice all chanted.

"DORE, DORE, DORE, DORE, DORE!" Salza and Neiz cheered on.

Recoome's body began to crackle with red energy, and he shifted the battle in his favor, pushing Dore's hand over the middle ground and downwards on his side. Dore's face contorted with exertion as he fought back, once again bringing the battle to a stalemate. This one lasted several moments, before his muscles bulged, and he began pushing back towards the middle point.

"COME ON RECOOME, SHOW THAT TROLL THE PRIDE OF THE GINYU FORCE!" Burter shouted.

"DON'T LET THAT MUPPET BEAT YOU, DORE!" Neiz called out.

The air became charged as both contenders began putting out more power in an attempt to outdo the other in the battle. Gohan couldn't help but be entertained by the display before him. The entertainment value alone couldn't distract him from the fact that a massive power washed over the area. Only five feet to his side, a white, three toed foot touched down. The next followed, succeeded by a long tail.

Frieza emerged onto planet Earth once more, in his final form, taking in a deep breath. "So nice to be out of that pit" he growled. "Perhaps now I can finally have my revenge on-"

It was at this moment that he noticed Gohan standing beside him. His eyes narrowed, before he noticed the spectacle taking place before them. Shouts from the Ginyu Force grew even louder as Recoome gained ground again. A slightly amused look crossed his face as he looked back at Gohan. "Defender of the planet?" he inquired.

Gohan nodded, frowning at the tyrant before him. He didn't appear to recognize him either.

"Let me guess, they argued about who gets to fight you?" Frieza asked. Gohan responded with another nod. Frieza facepalmed. "I suppose that I should be accelerating the process, but I will allow them this. They've been loyal enough prior."

Frieza arched one of his… well, the lack of hair made it hard to call them eyebrows, but the area where they would reside, as he continued to watch. "My brother will not let me live it down if my force loses, so I do hope Recoome pulls his weight." He took another glance at Gohan. "You seem rather calm. You, of course, realize that we _are_ here to kill you, correct?"

"It's pretty obvious" Gohan said.

"I figured as much" Frieza said. "I should kill you myself, right here, but I've always enjoyed these fools. The spectacle is worth the wait."

Gohan couldn't deny how weird it was for Frieza to be so conversational, but it must have been because of the two dueling squads. He could not deny that they had style.

As Dore began pushing back once again, and getting closer than either of them had been the whole time, another wave of cold emerged from the rift surrounding them. Behind Cooler's Armored Squadron, as if destined, came their namesake. Cooler emerged in his fourth form, murder in his eyes. It dissipated quickly, however, when he gained sight of the spectacle going on before him. He opened his mouth to say something, but when he saw Frieza and Gohan, she shrugged, and let the match continue.

"COME ON, RECOOME, YOU'VE GOT THIS!" Jeice shouted.

"SHOW THAT CLOWN UP, FINISH HIM DORE!" Salza bellowed.

The match was so intense, the Ginyus and Cooler's Armored Squadron so engrossed in it, that they had failed to even notice the appearance of Frieza or Cooler. Recoome's fist had almost touched the table, but with a sudden burst of the strength, he almost completely flipped with match, pushing Dore back down within seconds.

With a strained grin, Recoome said "It's over, bub." One last herculean push, and Dore's hand cracked through the concrete. The Ginyu Force erupted in hyped shouts. "RE-COOME, RE-COOME, RE-COOME, RE-COOME!" they chanted celebratorily.

Jeice shot a smug look at Salza. "Looks like the Ginyu Force has proved their superiority" he said. "Now you get to run off with your tail between your legs and let us have the fun."

Recoome laughed heartily. "You gotta hit the gym, buddy, that was a cakewalk."

Dore spat on the ground. "Whatever, I bet he won't even be a fun challenge anyways" he said sorely.

"Tch, whatever Jeice" Salza huffed, turning around. He tensed immediately. "L-L-Lord Cooler?!" he stammered.

Dore and Neiz jumped as they turned and realized that their boss had been standing there. The Ginyus' heads snapped towards Cooler when they heard his name uttered. He may not have been their boss, but they'd be fools to not note his presence. On a hunch, Jeice looked behind him, and snapped into a straight position. "L-Lord Frieza, I ap-p-pologize, I didn't see you there" he stammered, bowing.

The remaining three also turned to face Frieza so fast they may have given themselves whiplash. "Lord Frieza" they uttered simultaneously, bowing as well.

Frieza's tail swished through the air, though his face was one of amusement. "I must thank you for the show, you four. It may have been a waste of time…" he let the last word hang, letting the four flinch. "However, it was fair entertainment."

"Thank you, Lord Frieza" they said graciously, once again speaking as a single unit.

Frieza's tail whipped the ground. "However, now is the time for action, is it not?" he asked.

"Yes it is" Jeice announced, turning back towards the group. "Alright men, you know how it goes. Rock paper scissors to decide who gets first crack."

" _Ah, there it is"_ Gohan thought. He was wondering when that would show up.

The four wasted no time getting into position. Several feet away from them, Cooler's Armored Squadron stood behind Cooler himself, watching the Ginyus sullenly.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

It was a draw.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

Another draw.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

Recoome was knocked out.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

Yet another draw.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

Guldo backed out.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

Draw number four.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

Weren't draws a little redundant by this point?

"Rock, Paper, Scissors, SHOOT!"

" _Finally, the waiting was killing me!"_ Gohan sighed inwardly. Jeice had been eliminated, meaning Burter was the winner.

"Alright, I got first!" Burter said jubilantly.

Jeice, Recoome, and Guldo all went to stand off to the side as Burter and Gohan walked out into the middle of the street. They were disappointed, but they were also ready to root on Burter. That much he could tell.

" _Fun's over"_ Gohan thought as he saw Burter fall into battle stance. " _These guys almost come off innocent at first, but their not Frieza's elites for nothing."_

He shifted into a fighting stance, waiting for Burter to come at him. Once upon a time, Burter claimed to be the fastest in the universe, and he believed it. Nowadays, the level he was at made Burter's speed a mute point.

He saw it coming as if in slow motion. He leapt from the ground, blue aura around him blazing to life as he charged him. His speed was impressive… by normal human standards.

Planting his foot in the ground, Gohan leaned as the first blow came his way. His fist flew over his shoulder, and he left himself exposed. With momentum, Gohan spun and connected a backhand into Burter's skull, sending him plowing through the street, digging a trench in the asphalt.

The whole event took less than a second, although Burter was skidding across the turf for longer. Spinning around, he faced the rest of the force. "You're probably gonna want to all come at me at once" he said. " _All_ of you."

He could see the shock in in the eyes of the remaining Ginyus. Surprise in Frieza's face, Cooler looked slightly bemused, and the squad beside him looked cocky.

Jeice was the first to move, rushing him with a growing sphere of red energy lodged in his hands. "CRUSHER BALL!" he shouted, unleashing what was probably meant to be a deadly attack. Gohan swung it back at him. He evaded it, but wasn't fast enough to dodge the attack from above Gohan launched, coming down with a sledgehammer and planting Jeice into the street.

He felt something grab his body, and knew it was Guldo's telekinesis. " _He's strong for a little guy"_ he thought, the psychic grip on him surprisingly powerful. He spiked his power, breaking free of the hold as Recoome soared at him, a powerful kick aimed at him. He caught the brute's leg and spun him around before tossing him towards Cooler's Armored Squadron. Without wasting a moment, he continued his spin and sent a small blast at Guldo, small to him that was. The telekinetic warrior was swallowed by the blast and vanished without a trace.

The three members of the squad dodged as Recoome went flying past, letting his massive body skip across the concrete. The exchange was over in but a moment, with the entire force floored, and Guldo out of the picture.

He stood up and let out a breath. "That's what happens when you don't work together" Gohan said. "Granted, results might have been the same even if you did, but at least it might not have been as bad."

There was a sudden impact on his back, causing him to lurch forward. There was a hot sensation where the impact occurred. He turned around and saw Frieza with his hand extended. As his glare hardened, the look of surprise on Frieza's face grew. "What? Why aren't you-"

"I've got this thing about not letting myself be hurt by cheap shots" Gohan said, smirking at the look of terror that flashed across Frieza's face. "Come on, you've got to be better than that, Frieza."

There was a long, drawn out sigh. "You always managed to screw the pooch, Frieza, and you wondered why father assigned my side of the force the high risk missions."

Frieza shot his brother a nasty look. "Oh brother, how about you take a shot at this ape first?"

Gohan shot a glance at Cooler, who was uncrossing his arms. "Running from a challenge, are we?" he asked. With a smirk, he continued. "Appears we have a playback of what happened on Namek. It's okay, little one, I'll bail you out."

The grinding of Frieza's teeth was audible following Cooler's taunts. Cooler took a step towards Gohan, looking at him. "I sense that you've been holding back your power" he said.

"You're observant" Gohan commented. "I remember that, you were much more thorough than your brother."

"Ah, so you've met us prior?" Cooler asked, eyes narrowing. "There are not many who can say that, especially those that are still breathing."

"What can I say?" Gohan shrugged. "Maybe I told my daddy on you."

It was like Gohan dropped a bomb, and suddenly, both brothers were struck dumb as recognition flashed across their faces. "You, you're that brat from Namek!" Frieza accused.

Gohan smirked. "Guilty" he admitted.

Cooler looked vaguely shaken. "So you're the offspring of that ape that put both of us in the pit, huh?" He scowled. "Then forgive me for taking no chances. Salza, Dore, Neiz!"

"Lord Cooler!"

"You fight alongside me today, we take this monkey down" Cooler commanded. "And Frieza, feel free to join if you can master your cowardly instincts."

Without waiting for a response, Cooler's ki surged. His body began swelling, each limb bulking up as he nearly doubled in size. The organic helmet that formed around his head mutated and spiked outwards, as a mask formed over his mouth.

Cooler's ki became frighteningly high. If Gohan was to guess, he'd probably be approaching the level of Android 18 when they met, though since he couldn't feel her own ki, he had no real basis for comparison.

Cooler charged him, body blazing with purple light. Gohan leapt back, moving with the tackle, and caught Cooler, tossing him to the ground. He had to swerve to the side as an energy blade came down at his shoulder, backhanding Salza after evading the attack. He turned around and unleashed a basic energy wave at the trio, which Neiz was caught in, destroying him immediately.

He backflipped into the air, avoiding a pair of thin Death Beams that had been fired at his back. Unable to react in time to the attack from the two Arcosians, Dore was pierced, life leaving his eyes before he hit the ground.

" _Two down"_ Gohan though. The three Ginyus didn't look like they'd be getting up anytime soon, Salza didn't look like he'd be getting up too quick, while Guldo, Dore, and Neiz were already down for the count. "It looks like you two are the only ones left now, so what are you going to do?"

The brothers looked shaken by the authoritative tone behind Gohan's voice, but the effect didn't last. Gohan's brow furrowed as the two began laughing. "Mind letting me in on the joke?" he asked. "You two don't usually laugh when you're so outmatched."

Frieza stopped laughing to look at his brother. "Oh, do you hear him, Cooler? He thinks _we're_ the ones who are outmatched."

"Quite rich" Cooler agreed.

Frieza looked at Gohan. "You monkeys always seem to fall short when it comes to grasping the bigger picture. Your grandfather, for example, thought that even your entire race's power combined might match me. What a fool he was."

"While it might be true that you hold a power advantage over us, there are more factors in play" Cooler said. "After all, when you can't match quality, it is then that you turn to _quantity!"_

Frieza raised a hand, a glowing orb of energy glowing in his palm. "Cooler, shall we make this party public?"

"Let us open the gates of hell" Cooler agreed, raising a blast of his own.

Gohan prepared for the attack, but it never came to him. Rather, the two brothers collided their charges, shaking the very foundation of the city in a rippling wave of energy. There was a surprising amount of force from them, enough to stagger Gohan.

He was ready to question what that was supposed to achieve, but noticed that the tremors did not cease. If anything, they seemed to become more violent. Earth's energy was warping again, more noticeable than ever in the heart of the distortion.

"You seemed to have a faint grasp of the happenings here" Cooler said. "Allow us to elaborate."

"We have what you might refer to as a patron residing in that hell" Frieza stated. "A being, created from pure, condensed evil, straight from the Soul Cleansing Machine itself."

"A potent evil, one born with unimaginable power" Cooler agreed. "But, born without a proper mind, all it desired was to sow chaos throughout the universe. It destroyed the check-in stations grasp on that hole to start."

"Its next action was to blur the lines between life and death. The walls between Otherworld and the plane of life were punctured" Frieza revealed. "At first, gaps were rare, it was a bitter battle to escape, but now that we've gotten through…"

It slowly dawned on Gohan what Frieza meant. "That shockwave…" he realized.

"Was just what was needed to turn those cracks into open floodgates" Cooler finished.

"You insubordinate monkeys may have found a way to surpass us individually in power..." Frieza said.

"But what will you do against _an army raised from hell?!_ " Cooler roared.

All around him, pockets of darkness opened, piercing the air like a cold, sharp knife. Black wounds in the bleeding walls of reality. Within the blackness, shadowy figures began to move…

A large purple foot came down behind Cooler and Frieza as a massive figure emerged into the light. Uncanny resemblance to his sons, King Cold joined them across from him, eyes as cold as his name.

From a portal off to the side, a small green figure emerged, Guldo, already back from his death by Gohan's hands. Behind him, the alien he had destroyed earlier joined him. Nearby, Neiz emerged, and Dore as well. Dore's body seemingly vanished as his new body came into existence.

A power that totally eclipsed all the others made itself known with overwhelming authority. To his left, a heavy, dark boot cracked the ground, and a fighter larger than King Cold took his first living breaths in many years.

"Bojack…" Gohan growled.

"Boy…" Bojack smirked back.

A spiky black-haired head caught his eyes on the rooftops. For a moment, he thought he saw his father, but it wasn't. Turles was watching him from a bird's eye perspective, his energy, as low as it was comparatively, barely detectable.

Two tiny energy signatures flew out beside Frieza, kneeling as they hit the ground. Frieza's right-hand men, Dodoria and Zarbon, joined their lord.

In similar fashion, four blue-skinned figures strolled out of rifts beside Bojack. The remaining Hera Clan, Bujin, Bido, Zangya, and Kogu, made to stand as a force.

He heard the laughter before the next figures flew into view. High pitched, childish, almost innocent. Almost being the operative word. Several small, blue, insect-like creatures emerged. With calculating red eyes and playful grins, the Cell Jrs circled him.

He knew, as he saw them, who would be next. He didn't need to feel energy, or to see him with his own eyes, or to hear his voice, the voice that plagued his nightmares, to know.

"Well isn't this a lovely surprise, Gohan?" the full, drawing voice asked, directly behind him.

Gohan wheeled around with a backfist, only to have to blocked expertly by a green arm. Momentum cancelled, he found himself face to face with Cell. "I'm hurt, Gohan" he said, with his cocky voice. "You attack me before you can even see me, and after we've been through _so much_ together."

Gohan lowered his hand and took a step back. Walking around his greatest creation, Gero gave Gohan a calculating look. He had a feeling that he was _actually_ calculating him with his gaze. He probably had energy scanners in his body.

The first thing Gohan felt was a surge of hate. His Saiyan side had become ever more prominent since his potential had been awoken, so he fought to keep it down. Just because he was stronger than them didn't mean one wrong move couldn't end badly for him.

He hated Cell. His father had died keeping Cell from ending the earth with his cowardice. His father had died because he hadn't finished Cell beforehand. Cell got into that position because he was determined to torture the peace out of Gohan and infuse him with hatred.

Gohan wouldn't make the same mistake this time.

"Hmm… I do believe we're missing a face or two" Frieza announced. "Bojack, I don't suppose you happen to know where Slug ended up?"

Bojack rolled his eyes. "That Namek filth prefered to stay in Otherworld so he would retain his youth" he said.

"What about that Saiyan's Crusher Corps?" Frieza asked, glancing up at Turles.

"Those fools went for rebirth shortly prior to this event" Turles called down. "What a wasted opportunity."

"I'd expect nothing less from those dimwitted enough to follow a Saiyan" Frieza sighed. "It does not matter, though."

"All of us that are important in this fight, are present" Cooler agreed.

"Important?" Gohan chuckled. "I don't think you guys know what you're up against."

Cell laughed. "Kid, let me tell you, unless you did that whole Super Saiyan 3 thing your father found out, you won't last long against us. And trust me, we would have felt if you've gone that far."

Gohan shot Cell a cocky grin. "What if I told you I don't even need to go Super Saiyan to defeat you this time?"

"I'd say you let your head inflate more than I inflated myself shortly before you lost your father" Cell said. "But go ahead, don't transform, it'll make things much easier on us."

Cell sounded confident. Gohan smirked, dropping into fighting stance. He felt angry at the jab, but couldn't let emotions cloud him. His senses were on high alert, being surrounded, he couldn't take any chances. A drop of his guard could easily result in a critical blow landing, especially with so many forces surrounding him.

Cell and Bojack were the two most obvious threats. Bojack's immense power was the highest there, and while Cell was slightly less powerful in sheer strength, he had powerful regeneration capabilities, countless techniques, and had built in Saiyan power.

Gero might be trouble. He'd have to limit himself when it came to blasts, because if he absorbed them, not only would he be expending energy he couldn't afford, but Gero's own strength would grow. The old man-droid wasn't as much of a fighter as his other models, but he was powerful enough in his own right.

Frieza and Cooler weren't as threatening to him anymore, but that didn't mean they could be ignored. They could easily destroy the planet if things began to go south. But what really worried him was their father. King Cold had never entered his true form, but he remembered. When they first came to Earth, King Cold's power surpassed even Frieza's own. If he entered his final form, his power could become something more threatening.

There wasn't much to fear from the likes of Frieza's henchmen. Guldo was probably the most dangerous with his telekinesis and time stopping powers, but beyond that, most of them were fairly weak. Bojack's crew could also be troublesome, if he had to hazard a guess, they were nearly as strong as Frieza. The Cell Jrs, while they had less power, were all the more ferocious for it, and had as versatile moves as their father.

Lastly was Turles. Gohan wasn't sure what he aimed to accomplish here. There was no time to grow a Tree of Might, and without more fruit from it, he wasn't much of a threat. Less powerful than Frieza had been in his first form. He had his Kill Drive attack, which was a dangerous technique, but at his level, it shouldn't be a problem.

He made his calculations of the situation in seconds. He would have to be smart. From what he saw, killing someone would just let them arrive back a few minutes later, being able to escape from HFIL rather easily. He would have to figure out a way around that. He wasn't fond of the idea, but Frieza's family could survive near any injury. If he could incapacitate them without killing them, it could take them out of the picture at least. For the rest…

"TEACH THIS SON OF A SAIYAN A LESSON!" Frieza roared.

" _Well, I guess I'm figuring that one out on the fly!"_ Gohan realized. Gohan jumped into the air as several fighters streaked at him. He spun, batting Neiz back down to the planet as a Cell Jr. launched a Kamehameha wave at him. He focused energy into his palm, letting loose a sharp blast that pierced the wave and followed through, obliterating the Cell Jr's torso. He leaned backwards as a sword sliced above his head and twisted, slamming his knee into Kogu's gut. He followed up by flipping backwards, bringing his other foot down on Kogu's shoulder and knocking him to the street below. Cooler came charging up at him in a Death Crasher, which Gohan evaded, leaning above it before stomping him downwards. Unlike the others, Cooler didn't crash so easily.

Power flared behind Gohan, and he turned to meet a strike from Cell. Cell managed to guard a counterstrike from Gohan, and retaliated with a swift knee upwards. Gohan dropped his hands, blocking that attack before bringing his head forward in a fierce headbutt with Cell's crown. Staggering the biodroid, Gohan landed three solid blows to his torso before spiking him downwards with a sledgehammer.

Gohan landed on a rooftop as another Cell Jr attacked. He parried a quick blow before backhanding it away. He swayed to the side, dodging a thin, needle of energy, before sending out a counterblast, enveloping Bujin and destroying the Hera, for the moment. Neiz, Salza, and Dore all came at him simultaneously, striking from 3 different angles. He batted Dore's fist aside and sidestepped to dodge Neiz's attack. Swinging around, he let a ki blade form from his hand and brought it up to meet the Sauzer Blade Salza had swung downwards. It cut through Salza's attack as if it were not there before Gohan connected a fierce blow to the side of his head with his other hand. Letting the ki blade deform into shapeless ki, Gohan threw the energy at his feet, unleashing a blast that blew the other two away while leaping into the air.

A large blast of green energy came soaring at him. Not having time to dodge, Gohan turned and crossed his arms, trying to absorb the impact. The blast detonated rather quickly, pushing Gohan back. Two powers sandwiched him, and he flew sideways as two blows came at him, high and low. A sweep from Bojack and a clothesline attack from Cell. He pulled back and unleashed a quick flurry of blasts that detonated between them, and he landed back in the street.

He arched his body, avoiding a Death Beam that had been aimed at him by Frieza before he felt his body grasped by a strange force. He poured out more power to overwhelm Guldo's psychic grip on him before a combination blast from Dodoria and Zarbon could strike him. Focusing to his hands, he batted the blast upwards, so that it could detonate harmlessly in the sky.

Gero came at him from under the smoke, hands outstretched, seemingly going for an energy drain, while Cooler came back at him from the side. Spinning on the spot, Gohan's hands shot out in either direction, unleashing a wave of pure force which blew back his surroundings, knocking both of them away in it.

The battle came to a momentary lull as the opposing side regrouped themselves. Gohan stood up, never letting his guard down. Besides some impact burns from where Bojack's blast had connected with his arms, he had emerged from that struggle unscathed.

Cell landed before him. His face still screamed cockiness, but he could tell there was slight doubt in the mix as well now. He felt a small ki spike behind him and sighed. "Frieza, if you try another Death Beam, you know it won't do more than annoy me, and I'll break your arm so you can't aim another at me." The ki lowered.

"My, my, someone's gotten far too big for their britches" Cell commented. "Boy, you will not emerge from this confrontation successful, you realize? There is no way."

"You sound confident… for someone who just got knocked out of the way like an annoying fly" Gohan countered. "I feel pretty successful right now."

There was a brief lull in the conversation as more of the escapees of HFIL settled back down. Gohan glanced around. Sure, there were tactics and moves to be wary of, but for the most part, everyone here was not nearly strong enough to hurt him. "Just think about it Cell, you guys don't have the speed nor the power to beat me. No one in your Loser Squad does."

Cell closed his eyes, snorting. "'Loser Squad,' eh? Well that was a solid joke, but irrelevant. After all, Gohan, you ought to know better than anyone." He opened his eyes. "There is always a way to defeat someone stronger than you."

Following his sentence, Cell raised both hands above his head, palms facing the sky. Cell's brow furrowed in concentration as he remained there.

An ominous feeling ran down Gohan's back. It seemed especially strong at the base of his spine. He looked upwards, realizing what Cell was doing. He managed to chuckle. "Cell, I thought you were smarter than this?" he asked. "Even if you weren't lying about being able to make a Spirit Bomb without a pure heart, do you realize how long it would take to make one? Even if I let you, it couldn't harm me, I'm pure of heart myself, after all."

"If the Spirit Bomb is so selective about only hurting evil..." Cell chuckled. "Answer me this. How come your father refused to use the attack with Vegeta there. Sure, he's no puritan, but you would think that someone fresh out of the Soul Cleansing Machine would be safe, right?"

Gohan looked back upwards, where a tiny, whitish-blue orb was beginning to form. Cell raised a good point, he had to admit. His dad refused to fire the Spirit Bomb at Buu while Vegeta was still there. Even if Vegeta had a dark mind, his soul would have been clean after dying originally. Why would his father have waited for Vegeta to be moved unless…

"It doesn't matter" Gohan decided. "You don't have the time to make a Spirit Bomb strong enough and you know it."

Cell laughed. "We'll soon see, Gohan. Oh, and by the way, thank you for focusing on me this whole time."

"Wha-?" Gohan began to ask before a powerful force wrapped around him. Two arms, thick as tree trunks, squeezed him against an iron mass. The swollen green muscles were Bojack's, there was no mistaking them, and he had gone full power.

"Now, be a nice boy and let him charge his attack" Bojack commanded, squeezing ever tighter.

Gohan hissed as the pressure around his body grew. He struggled to get free, and felt he could, but he had almost zero leverage. He let out a shout, bringing his power up to the maximum, and tried to break free, but his positioning was poor. There were sneers all around him as the Spirit Bomb in Cell's grasp continued to grow.

He hiss of pain sounded in his ear, and Gohan suddenly found himself falling to the ground, released from the bear hug. Gohan wasted no time catching himself and planting his knee into Bojack's stomach, sending the Hera reeling. He twisted, forming a rotating blade of ki in each hand not unlike a Destructo Disc, and sent them at Cell.

Stuck holding the Spirit Bomb, which had grown to the size of a car by the time Gohan freed himself, Cell couldn't react as each blade pierced his shoulders, sending the severed arms to the ground.

Chancing a look behind him, his eyes widened in surprise as he saw who stood behind Bojack, and who freed him. The female Hera with hair to rival a Super Saiyan 3. He blinked. "Why?" he asked. It was a simple question. Why would one of his enemies free him. He didn't know how things would have panned out, but with the struggle Gohan had breaking free, he didn't doubt Cell would have gathered a decent Spirit Bomb.

Zangya flipped her hair. "Please, you think I'd willingly serve this man again after what he did to me?" she asked. She soared over Bojack's body as he got back to his feet, landing near Gohan. "That bastard sent me to that hell himself just to get a cheap shot in at you. And you'd better believe I'll take the first chance I've had in seven years at revenge."

Bojack heaved himself to his feet, chuckling deeply. Gohan had the feeling it wasn't from amusement. "Is that so, Zangya?" Bojack asked. His gaze hardened. "You would be willing to throw away ties to the great Clan of Hera over a petty squabble?"

Zangya scowled. "I'd be willing to toss a chance at rebirth just to make sure you stay down with me" she said furiously. "If my death is so petty to you, I assume I made the right choice."

Bojack closed his eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that." For a moment, he sounded genuinely apologetic. An explosive sphere of green energy formed in his palm. "Rest in hell _without us_ bitch!" he shouted, unleashing a mighty blast.

Gohan reacted, leaping forward and grabbing the blast with his bare hands, spinning around and sending it right back at Bojack. The leading Hero evaded the attack, which flew past him and detonated directly on Dodoria, destroying the large pink alien and sending Zarbon crashing into a side wall.

The explosion caused stirring among the army. Gohan's foot planted in the ground as he prepared to move again. Zangya backed up, prepared to attack, facing the other way from Gohan. He chanced a glance at her. "You do realize there's about twenty of them for each of us, right?"

"I can handle myself" Zangya said. "And judging by what I saw just now and back then, I'm assuming you can too. I joined the winning side."

A loud grunt sounded from Cell as he grew our his new arms. "Haah, haah…" he huffed. "You think that's it, boy?" he asked. He sounded vaguely angry. "You couldn't be more mistaken."

Gohan turned to the biodroid. "Nah, you'd continue being a nag even if I had sent you back to Otherworld right now" he admitted. "And you'd be back in moments."

Cell frowned. "I suppose in the vein of honesty, you have surpassed what I expected of you, Gohan" he admitted. "It's true that you've kept up with all of us in your base state, which means we need an advantage." He glanced upwards. "And I see mine."

Gohan followed Cell's gaze, up to the remaining Spirit Bomb in the sky. Gohan reached back, pooling power through his arm, ready to blast the mass out of the sky, but he forgot something important that Cell had.

Cell appeared in front of the Spirit Bomb instantly with Instant Transmission. "Alright, give me that stupid energy!" he shouted, backing into the attack and vanishing in the white light.

Gohan prepared to give chase when Cooler appeared in front of him. He remembered too late that when last they had seen Cooler, he had known Instant Transmission too! Thin dark lasers shot from Cooler's eyes, which Gohan swayed to evade, launching a kick into Cooler's chest. Staggering the large Arcosian, Gohan gripped his wrist and flung him up at where Cell had vanished. His energy spiked, white aura flaring. "HAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he shouted, unleashing a rapid Kamehameha wave into Cooler, pushing him further into the blast.

The uncharged energy blast lacked the power for a detonation to destroy Cooler, but it definitely left him sore. The blast left him blackened as he crashed into the Spirit Bomb. A white hand on a green arm shot out and caught the large purple being. The Spirit Bomb seemingly faded away, but for one who could feel energy, the power was not dispersing. It was merging.

Cell emerged from the shrinking bomb, power skyrocketing dramatically, increasing by the moment as the power of the Spirit Bomb entered his body. He dropped Cooler's body unceremoniously to the ground. He paid him no heed, merely locking eyes with Gohan. Cell's power became tangible in the air, a fierce pressure being the sole reason Gohan had not been jumped by others.

Gohan twinged inwardly. Cell's power was massive compared to before. He would be weaker than Buu, but only just. Absorbing the power of the Spirit Bomb… it was a terrifying gain.

Cell looked down and flexed his hands. "So much raw power…" he commented. "I see why your father always considered the move his trump card in battle." He clenched his fist. "Gohan, would you care to test my new power in battle?"

Gohan went on guard. Something about Cell always managed to put him on edge. "You aren't stronger than me yet, Cell, not by a long shot."

"Who ever said I was stronger?" Cell asked. "My power is enough, I did not say it was on a higher plane than your own."

"Enough?" Gohan asked. "For what?"

"Ah, ah, ah" Cell waggled his finger. "Spoiler alert, you will see for yourself soon enough."

"Enough with the riddles, Cell" Gohan spat.

"Very well" Cell smirked. He took his own, signature fighting stance. "Everyone else, back away from the boy, for now" he announced to the rest. "I've been waiting for this for a long time, Gohan. A battle, a pure, simple battle.." His smirk faded, as his face took on a stony visage. "And a chance to get revenge on you for destroying me."

* * *

Videl considered activating her jet copter, but she had a feeling it would have made them too easy a target on their way into the heart of the city. Judging by the sight, there was some excessively heavy artillery at work.

She stopped by the police station situated at the edge of the town. It wasn't the main precinct in the center of the metropolis, but it had some things they could use. Most importantly, they had hoverbikes. The precinct was abandoned, so there was no problem borrowing two for her and Sharpner.

The two cruised into the city, weaving in between large groups of escaping civilians. They didn't have to go far before the action found them.

Rounding a corner on their bikes, Videl spotted five men in the street. The wore strange armor, and had weapons mounted to their arms. They could have been mistaken for some sort of role playing gang of nerds, had they not been standing calmly in a burning city whilst everyone else was fleeing, and had one of them not fired into a nearby building, causing a burst of fire and a plume of smoke.

Videl kicked off the bike, jumping towards the group. "Hey, you!" she shouted accusingly.

That did the trick of getting the attention of the five. The nearest one sneered. "Well, would you looky here?" he asked. "We've got someone with a little backbone."

"A female, now there's a surprise" another laughed.

Videl growled. She was often underestimated because of her gender. She clenched her fists, as a shrill beeping overtook the street. The head man raised a hand to his helmet, and a small, glass visor that covered their eye. He raised his eyebrows. "Power level of 70?" he asked. "Impressive for one of these pests, I'll admit." He took a glance at Sharpner, who had walked up beside Videl. "Power level of 30 on this one, strong, but nothing special of the race."

"Uh, do you have any idea what they're talking about?" Sharpner asked out of the corner of his mouth.

"No idea" Videl answered back. She had no idea what a 'power level' was, but she had to assume it was some measure of strength. She stretched her arms. "Sharpner, we have to look out for those guns on their arms" she warned.

"Yeah, you didn't have to tell me that" Sharpner told her. "I already knew that."

"We'll go on three" Videl said.

"You hear that boys?" the head one laughed. "They say they're gonna try and fight back."

The taunting voice infuriated Videl. "One…" she growled.

"And they're going through with it too, how precious" he chuckled.

"Two…"

"What fools you a-" he said, before an even shriller beeping than before sounded. "What in the world?" he asked. "Power level… of 100,000, no, 300,000, no, it's-"

"Could it be Lord Frieza?" one in the back asked.

"Lord Frieza is in the center facing that Saiyan brat, that's what was reported" he answered. "But this…"

"Is ME!" a voice cried out.

A yellow blur streaked down the street, crashing into the head man hard enough to send him into the building he had blasted moments before. Backflipping, the figure reached back and landed a solid blow into the next one, shattering the chestplate he had on and sending him crashing down through the street.

The remaining three opened fire, only to have the man bat all three lasers into the sky with his bare hands. He disappeared from sight, appearing above the middle one and brought down a solid blow on his head, sending him down into the asphalt. He bounced up from the impact, leaving the figure to spin and launch a kick, sending him flying down the street.

Twisting around, his hands began glowing bright yellow, and he sent an explosive attack into both the remaining members, sending them flying through the buildings on either side of the street.

Within seconds, all five men had been taken down. And now that their assailant had stopped moving, Videl made out a very important detail. The yellow outfit he donned was that of the Satan City Police Department.

Videl ran to him. "Hey!" she called out. "Wait up!"

The figure turned around, starting as he saw her running towards him. "M-Miss Videl!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

That voice! She recognized it, and she recognized him! "You're Krillin" she recalled. "You were at the circus yesterday."

"Uh, yes, yes I was" Krillin said, hints of nervousness in his voice. "But what are _you_ doing _here?_ I thought the city was evacuated?"

"It was evacuating when we arrived" she said, gesturing to Sharpner. "But we aren't going to let the city just keep getting attacked. It's my job to stop this."

"Videl, you can't be here" Krillin said firmly. "And trust me, you won't want to be hear. You're going to get yourself killed!"

Videl scowled. "And what is that supposed to do, scare me away?" she asked. "I'm the daughter of Hercule Satan, and one of the strongest people on the planet. If I'm actually in danger of dying, your fate must be sealed."

"More than you know…" Krillin muttered. "Videl, trust me on this, you've got to-"

 _BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM_

The ground trembled as a massive tremor ran rampant through it. Sharpner yelped as he fell flat on his back, Videl stumbled, barely catching herself before she hit the ground, while Krillin extended his hands trying to balance himself. A bright blue light shot through the sky several blocks away, and several explosions went off in the same area.

Krillin blanched as he turned towards the light show. "I hope that he can keep them from destroying the planet…" he muttered under his breath, low enough that neither of them could hear him. He shot them a glare. "Listen, I'm not joking here. Get out of the city _right now,_ while you still have a chance. I don't want anyone getting hurt, but I don't have time to get you out of the city myself."

"What are you-"

"You're capable, and I assume your friend is too, but this isn't your fight" Krillin said, turning around. "Leave to us, and don't put your life on my conscience."

"Us?" Videl asked. "Who's us?"

She didn't get her answer, but her question was all but forgotten to her as Krillin did something she hadn't expected.

His body began shining with a light, shining bright against the street with no source. His feet left the ground, heels lifting off, toes leaving last. He darted upwards into the air, dashing upwards over the buildings and vanishing from sight.

Sharpner gaped. "Did… did that just happen?" he asked. "That dude just _flew!_ "

"No, he didn't" Videl stated. "You know, those are all… tricks."

She believed this, her voice didn't sound like it shared the opinion. She growled. " _It's a trick, no one can actually fly."_

" _But why would anyone be setting up tricks in the middle of an evacuated city?"_ a voice in the back of her head asked. She ignored the voice.

"Sharpner, we need to head that way" she said, pointing to the middle of the city.

Sharpner looked at her. "Videl, that guy looked like he knew where things were happening" he pointed out. "Shouldn't we be following him?"

She shook her head. "Remember what that dude was saying before Krillin arrived?" Videl asked. "He mentioned something, a Lord-someone in the center of the city. And there were a bunch of explosions over there just now anyways."

Sharpner processed what she was saying. "So their boss…"

"Is nearby" Videl finished. "If we can take him out, maybe we can stop the attack quicker than we could fighting across the city."

Sharpner shook his head. "Good" he said, frowning. "I can't wait to get the guy who attacked the school, and killed Gohan…"

Videl knew the feeling. She would relish the feeling of sinking her fist into the bastard's face, but they'd have to move now if they didn't want the city crumbling on top of them. She wasn't sure how long most of these structures would last after so many explosions, but their integrity probably was low.

"The bikes" she said. "We need to move."

The two made a mad sprint back to the bikes, leaping on and switching them into high gear, tearing off down the street. Videl tried to remember where exactly the explosions took place, which street they were looking for.

As they kept driving, the empty streets began to feel ominous. The attack hadn't begun so long ago, yet the streets were devoid of all life. No civilians, no police, no criminals, just, no one. She looked behind her, but the only thing she saw besides ruined buildings was Sharpner, and he looked about as put off as she felt.

She didn't understand anything about the situation. Nothing made sense. The weapon that hit the school left no shrapnel for her to get a sense of the situation. The only sign it had been there was the destroyed wall to the school. Krillin, he was a trickster, but the moves he made, those couldn't be faked. Those were practiced, expert martial arts maneuvers, and the way those soldiers he struck went down, cracking the asphalt…

She had no idea what to make of anything, her brain was running too high right now for her to make out anything specific at the moment. She tried to focus on the search, which ended up being redundant quite fast. It was glaringly obvious.

A shining beacon nearly blinded her as she passed a new corner. Her eyes clamped shut and she hit the breaks; she couldn't see anything. A screeching sound behind her told her that Sharpner had followed suit.

He gasped. "What the heck is that?!" he exclaimed.

Videl went on high alert, not knowing what to expect, but when she saw Sharpner pointing, she too became dumbstruck.

About three blocks down from then, a massive ball of light hung in the air. It was probably slightly larger than a car, but even st this distance, it was glowing as bright as a sun. And even more peculiar…

"Either I'm crazy, or that giant thing is _growing_!"

He was right. The light continued to slowly grow. The streets were completely silent as it kept growing, until a grunt sounded. It wouldn't have been heard except for the deafening silence. There was a shout, and a flash of yellow light. Nearly the next instant, two whirling blades of light came streaking through the air. Videl yelped as she dove to the side, while Sharpner fell flat as they flew overhead.

Videl got back to her feet and studied the situation. She had no idea what those discs were, but the way they cut through the air made her have the feeling that she hadn't wanted to find out. There was a conversation that began down by there.

It was at this moment that she realize an important detail. There were a few, no, several figures, on the street around where the light hung.

"Sharpner, do you see all of them?"

"There's a small army there, Videl" Sharpner commented. "How could I not have?"

Heat rushed to her cheeks as she recalled that it had taken her several moments to notice them herself. "They're saying something, we need to get closer" she said.

Sharpner looked at her like she was crazy. "Videl, if we're just here to fight them, why do we need to eavesdrop on them?" he asked.

"Sharpner, you've seen what these guys have done so far" Videl hissed. "If we listen, we might learn something to help us. Where their weapons are, their plans, numbers, anything can help!" She turned her back. "I didn't want you coming in the first place, so you can leave me to this and I'll be fine."

Sharpner's response was almost immediate. "Are you joking?" he asked. "I'm not leaving, especially not now. This is for _Gohan!_ "

Videl looked at Sharpner. A couple years back, he wouldn't have told even her that he cared for a nerd like Gohan. Now, here he was, out here risking his life to avenge him. A small, sad smile played across her face. She nodded. "For Gohan" she echoed.

Keeping to the shadows, the two made a mad sprint down the block. They tried to keep their footfalls quiet, but Videl knew that they needed to hurry. For all they knew, the attack could continue at any moment, and they would lose their chance at intel. Nothing could prepare her, however, for the details that presented themselves as she drew near.

She instinctively ducked into a nearby building as she came into view of the scene. They were still about half a block away, but there were less debris and obstructions between them, and things were still rather quiet.

She didn't know how to react to what she saw before her. She wanted to be mistaken, but there was no mistaking those black wings, green body, and sharp crown.

Sharpner blanched. "Videl…?" he asked shakily. "Isn't that..." he gulped. "Cell?"

Videl nodded. Sharpner grew a little worried. "But, I thought your dad defeated Cell, he's been dead for seven years!"

"Shh!" Videl shushed. She didn't want them to be found, and she didn't want to miss anything. It seemed like Cell was addressing the mob in front of him. She slowly walked through the building, trying to get a better position.

"-say it was on a higher plane than your own."

Videl froze. She could hear him, clear as day. His voice carried quite a ways. She focused her attention to him, trying to see what she could pick up.

"Enough? For what?"

Videl's blood ran cold. " _No…"_ she thought. " _That can't be…"_

"Ah, ah, ah! Spoiler alert!" Cell's voice announced drawlingly. "You will see for yourself soon enough."

"Enough with the riddles, Cell!" the second voice commanded.

There was never so much… anything, behind that voice. It was never so angry. It was never so filled with hate. It was never so commanding. But there was one thing it was, one thing that Videl was sure of.

It was Gohan's.

Her vantage point didn't let her see anything but a small piece of Cell, so she continued to crawl forward, trying to find a spot where she could see better.

"Very well" Cell's voice sounded. "Everyone else, back away from the boy, for now."

Videl found a sizable hole in the wall, one that gave her a good view. Cell was standing maybe fifty feet from her. She could probably hit him with a rock, if she wanted to. And before him…

There was a large crowd, but not all humans. There were so many diverse beings, lizard men, a large green man with red hair, a blue man dressed in similar armor to the soldiers earlier, though designed differently. There were a human or two she could pick out, a wrinkled old man with long white hair, and a mammoth of a man with a tuft of red hair on his head.

But there were two figures standing apart from the crowd, besides Cell. A lean, blue woman with lush orange hair, stood facing the greater mob, and behind her.

Black spandex. Green tunic. Red cape. But no helmet, leaving hard, obsidian-black eyes and hair on display to the world. If there was a doubt in her mind before, it was dispelled. Gohan was Saiyaman. Gohan was in the middle of a group of monsters. And Gohan was alive.

A brief feeling of anger and betrayal flashed through her. Did Gohan fake his death? Was Gohan a terrorist attacking the city? Sure looked like it. But her second thought banished the thought. The woman to his back seemed against the monsters, and Gohan was radiating hatred, directed at Cell.

Whatever was happening here, as little as she knew, she had a feeling, deep in her heart, that Gohan was against whatever was going on here. But the question still nagged, what _was_ he doing there?

"I've been waiting a long time for this, Gohan" Cell said.

Videl's eyes widened. " _Cell knows him by name?!"_

"A battle, a pure, simple battle."

" _Cell's picking a fight with Gohan?! But why?"_ Videl wondered. " _If anything, Cell should be after my-"_

"And a chance to get revenge on you for destroying me."

* * *

Gohan made sure he was on lookout. Just because Cell told the rest of them to stay put, didn't mean they would.

Every moment that passed with nothing happened, however, Gohan began to feel angrier. Cell had gone through the trouble of gaining so much power, gloated, promised revenge, and for what? For him to stand there, mocking him?!

Gohan was scarcely aware of a tingle running down his back as he charged Cell. He was the angriest he had felt since he fought Cell the first time, and only had one thought on his mind.

" _I won't make the same mistake as last time_

As he charged Cell, he never realized the thought that should have been on his mind. He was so aware of his surroundings, that he failed to note the passive role of another.

Someone was making their move, and Gohan never realized it as the anger coursed through his veins.

* * *

 **Much better than last time, whew! Only took slightly less than a month, and I hope the wait was more bearable, and more importantly,** _ **worth it!**_

 **I'm hopeful that you guys enjoyed this chapter. I had a blast writing it (especially the Ginyu Force scene) and feel good about my work. But enough about me, what is Videl feeling?**

 **I'll honestly be quite surprised if any of you guess who's making their move at the end. It's not Cell, let me tell you that. So what could be happening? Gohan does seem irrationally angry all of a sudden…**

 **The first true chapter into my Fusion Reborn Saga is out, and before I leave, it's time for me to answer reviews.**

 **yunayuu - it gave him the illusion of being Saiyaman so long as no one got a clear look at his head, after all**

 **DD - I blame Satan**

 **Daikou - try Fusion Reborn reality bleed. Er, sorry, don't get the reference**

 **Guest - I hope you aren't nearly giving up on me yet. I don't plan to go down the same exact route as my predecessors, as effective as that route is**

 **A-man - glad to hear I've got a new fan! I do feel repetitive sometimes, but I feel it's better to make sure your points is hammered in than be vague and confusing. And I didn't mind your little tirade, it let me get a better look at you and how you feel about my story :D**

 **Anyways, that's all for now. As usual, I love getting your reviews, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you're excited for next time… it's gonna get a little weird, it's gonna get a little wild…**

 **Props if you get the reference, but don't go running with it, I just love the way that sounds.**


	10. Chapter 10

**LATE HAPPY HOLIDAYS!**

 **First off, I've had a few notes about how much time Gohan is taking fighting everyone. Two things. One, to destroy them effortlessly and rapidly, he'd have to put out a lot of power, which isn't exactly the safest in the city, as he could easily make the damage far worse than it actually is. Second, you seem to forget, anyone who's killed can be back within moments due to the dimensional rifts and the Check-In Station being out. He'd put out the power to kill them, and they'd be back and in prime condition in moments.**

 **I'll also point out that anyone not explicitly stated to be present is not there. I've seen a lot of mentions of Babidi. Read the chapter and there'll be a brief explanation about why Babidi isn't present.**

 **Also, I've had some complaints about how Bojack was able to restrain Gohan for a brief moment. I'd like to remind you all that Android 16 was able to restrain Cell for a little while, back when he planned to self destruct. Cell escaped, but he was captive for a few moments prior. And the gap between 16 and Cell is very, very wide, as it was.**

 **Now, lastly. I want to thank you all SO MUCH. When I got into writing Fanfiction, I never expected to be anything more than an author with some neat stories, not super well known or anything. But when I started this project, you all far exceeded my expectations. I was already stoked to have about 200 followers on some of my other stories. Now? As of the last chapter, this story has broken** _ **600 followers!**_ **We're not even close to done, yet so many of you have already pushed the story this far. Remember what I said about not expecting much? This is currently the 20th most followed DBZ story on the site! You all have made me feel so insanely accomplished, I can only think of one way to thank you, by keeping things rolling for you all.**

 **Now, without any further ado, let's get into the 10th chapter of this story, and into the second chapter of the Fusion Reborn Saga!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9 - A Shocking Tail**

* * *

Gohan took a heavy swing at Cell, entire body pushing his arm for a clothesline. Cell leaned back into it, taking the blow but minimizing the damage by letting it push him away. Cell was sent skidding several blocks down, Gohan hot on his tail.

He reached back and struck out with a fierce punch, one that Cell guarded by crossing his arms. He gave slightly, before throwing Gohan off of him and striking back.

The blow came at Gohan much faster than anything Cell had thrown his way prior. He ducked the blow and lunged forward, tackling Cell and pushing him down. Leaping into the air, he brought a ball of ki in his hands and thrust it downwards. Cell's energy disappeared an instant before it connected, leaving the ball to shatter the pavement as Cell reappeared above him using Instant Transmission.

Gohan whipped around with speed that surprised Cell, fist cracking across his jaw and sending him down another street. Gohan's floored the pedal on his ki output and raised his hands to his head. "MASENKOOOOOOO!" he roared, the massive wave of golden energy flooding out of his hands, and made a powerful collision with Cell.

The sheer force of the impact shattered all the nearby windows. Gohan was thankful, once more, to Piccolo for teaching him the technique. The Masenko wasn't the most powerful move he knew, but it was strong, fast, and not nearly as explosive as other techniques, like the Kamehameha, meaning the environment around them was safer.

Gohan knew that it hadn't beaten Cell. He didn't want Cell destroyed now. He could come back within moments, even more powerful than before, and besides, a nagging sensation within him, growing ever stronger, kept telling him to make sure Cell felt some of his pain during their fight. Some of the pain the Cell Games had given him.

He tried to shake off the sensations, the urges. He was letting anger cloud his mind, and in a battle like this, that could be fatal. Cell was still weaker than him by a fair margin, but he wasn't so completely and utterly outclassed anymore. A bad move could cost him. And not having a clear head could be a precursor to that.

He took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself. He had no idea where his initial burst of anger came from, but he had to avoid another. He sensed Cell disappear. " _He's being very liberal with Instant Transmission right now, huh?"_ he wondered. Reacting fast, he leaned to the side as a fist came flying over his shoulder. " _Bad move, Cell."_

His energy flared. He couldn't risk destroying Cell, but if he could manage to knock him out cold, it would be a great step forward in the situation. He brought his arm up, elbow cracking against Cell's chin, following up with a heavy blow to Cell's gut. He spun and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to Cell's side, finally provoking a gasp of pain from Cell. He smirked subconsciously as he landed a heavy blow to Cell's face while he was staggered, knocking him backwards, off balance, which he took full advantage of with a sweep, knocking Cell off his feet before striking him into the air.

He darted ahead, meeting where Cell flew and smacking him back towards the ground with a ferocious backhand. Sensing a spike of ki from back where he came, he swung around and sent a dart of ki towards Bojack, who had been readying an attack which he had assumed was aimed at Zangya. The dart pierced the blast Bojack had been forming, causing it to detonate and knock the Hera backwards.

He and Zangya shared a brief look, before Gohan turned back towards Cell, just in time to see a spiraling orange beam right beneath him.

Gohan contorted, dodging around the attack as fast as he could. It grazed his side, shredding through the fabric of his costume and leaving a burn along where it had traced. It was uncomfortable, but it could have been a lot worse. The Special Beam Cannon was always adept at piercing foes, part of the reason Piccolo had come up with it. It could defeat an enemy much stronger than yourself, and Cell could very well have ended the fight right there if it had struck.

Cell appeared right next to him as he was completing the motion of dodging. Instinctually, Gohan wheeled around and raised his guard. Cell connected a blow to his guard, but something was off. It felt… too weak.

Another source of ki popped into existence behind him. He plummeted to avoid any potential attacks, and from the grunt he heard from Cell, he assumed he had dodged whatever blow was aimed at him successfully. He looked up, and started.

There were two Cells. The rational part of him realized that Cell was using the Multiform technique, but it was still shocking to witness in person. The only time Cell had used the technique prior was against his dad, to test his strength. While he claimed that he had perfected it to an extent that didn't split his power among the clones, he had his doubts. His father had done exceptionally well against the four Cells before for them to have been at the same level, and that attack he had just taken seemed a bit too weak to be a Spirit Bomb-infused Cell's power.

 _Four Cells…_

With that thought, he was able to correctly counter when two more appeared behind him simultaneously, backhanding them away without a thought. He glared around, keeping tabs on the four biodroids. "You know, you're being quite liberal with Instant Transmission right now" he said.

"Well, what can I say?" the initial Cell that had attacked him after the Special Beam Cannon asked.

"I never got to really use it during our fight last time" one of the two he had backhanded said.

"Besides to return from the Otherworld, that is" the other one said.

"It's nice to get some practice in with it" the second Cell that had appeared finished.

If he had to guess from the force of Cell's attacks, as well as the current energy levels he was sensing, he'd say that individually, they were stronger than Cell had been before the Spirit Bomb, but they weren't nearly as strong as he had been afterwards. There was some power loss there. " _Not 'perfected', just improved"_ Gohan noted. Combined, the four probably could even overpower himself, luckily, the Multiform didn't allow for power multiplication like that, not even Cell's improved version.

"I can appreciate dusting off an old technique" Gohan admitted with a smirk. He raised his power, orange energy beginning to radiate off of his body. He glared at the initial Cell that had attacked. "But Cell, I hope you don't mind that I don't appreciate you."

All four Cell clones regarded him with a cocky smirk and a confident chuckle. "Was that supposed to hurt my feelings or something?" the first asked.

"Maybe it was intentful to strike fear, but failed miserably" the one next to him guessed.

"Please, I felt more chills run down my spine when you were a child" Cell chuckled.

Gohan intended to smirk right back, and come up with a witty response, before he went on the offensive. At that moment, however, the rifling sensation rang out across his body, from a point at the small of his back. His cool and collected front was replaced with a vicious snarl. "If your spine can't feel chills, I guess there isn't much point in you keeping it, then!" he spat. The orange energy around his body became violent as he suddenly boosted through the air, body a fiery comet as he crashed into the first Cell clone, obliterating his torso as he crashed through it, that Cell's head, arms, and lower body falling towards the ground, trailing fluids.

Normally, the sight would have left Gohan queasy. Normally, Gohan would have realized the risk in dealing such a devastating, yet not fatal wound to Cell. Instead, he turned around, body still trailing with leftover power from his Evil Ray Strike, and kicked straight through the nearby Cell, this time, not failing to completely destroy the separate parts with blasts.

He regarded the last two Cells with fiery eyes, and was more than a little infuriated to find them still chuckling. "It's hard the believe you can still be laughing knowing how badly you're outclassed" he said vehemently.

The two Cells laughed together. "Gohan, poor, naive, Gohan" one chuckled. "Do you honestly think us to be outclassed.

"You're already losing, even if you don't realize it" the other chuckled. "The more you fight us, the more hopelessly _screwed_ you are!"

Gohan shot cold glares at each of them, before taking a deep breath. " _Cell really knows how to push my buttons"_ he thought. " _He must have had me almost as angry as Vegeta there, for a second."_

"The more I fight, the more screwed I am, huh?" Gohan asked. "Tell me this. Those clones were all you, which means since you're still here, they aren't coming back. Cell, you just gambled away half your power on your Multiform technique, what possible edge could you think you have on me?"

"No edge, at least, not for now" Cell said cryptically. "Should our patron arrive, I doubt even you would stand a chance. But no."

The other Cell pointed at Gohan. "We intend to destroy you before that netherworld angel even arrives. And we have ample time to do it, what with your father distracting him."

Gohan's form wavered. "Wait, Dad is…"

"Your father's essence may very well be gone by now" Cell laughed. "He was powerful. Powerful enough to destroy that creature Buu, even."

"But I will tell you this, _boy_ " Cell remarked. "Even you, as tough as you are, couldn't hope to rival our patron."

Gohan frowned. "You keep mentioning a patron, yet I don't see anyone around."

"The demon is from the other realm" Cell stated. "A being of pure chaos, who will flip the very order of the universe on its head upon his arrival."

"Formed by millennia of evil, wrung through the Soul Cleansing Machine" the other added. "It is part of the reason we are fine having this patron of ours, you the darkness that created him?"

"It _all_ used to be _ours_ " Cell laughed.

The left Cell gestured to the large group of past villains behind them. Zangya was doing well, avoiding attacks from others, by she didn't seem to be able to strike backk very hard. "You see, Gohan, you may be able to defeat all of us" he said, gesturing to the whole army.

"But can you defeat," the right Cell continued, " _all of us?!_ "

* * *

"And a chance to get revenge on you for destroying me."

" _A chance to get revenge on YOU for DESTROYING ME!"_

Videl's thought process stopped. It was crazy enough that Cell was somehow here, that an entire army of monsters had somehow appeared in the middle of Satan City. That here, right in front of her, that she had solid, substantial evidence that Gohan was _Great Saiyaman!_

But this?

Cell, or whatever that was that looked like Cell, (" _Gohan had referred to it as Cell, and he acknowledged it" the voice in the back of her head nagged_ ), had just made a statement of revenge.

On Gohan.

Revenge on Gohan.

 _For killing him!_

Cell just said that Gohan killed him.

" _That can't be Cell"_ Videl realized. After all, Cell had been defeated by her father seven years ago. If somehow Gohan had even been there, he'd have to have been no older than about 10, which would be insa-

She froze.

" _The delivery boy appears to intend to fight Cell!"_ the announcer had declared.

This had been after Cell had pushed aside many fighters, including her father, who had unfortunately lost his balance for a moment. Then that blonde dude came in and began fighting Cell. At times, the fight could barely be seen, and st other times, impossible things kept happening. The two flying to the air, bodies fading out of sight to appear somewhere else. At one point, the ring had been blasted apart, and the fight continued, until the challenger stepped down.

She had felt so mad about that. Her father had to recover, to fight a monster like Cell, he had to be in top form, and slip or not, it must have taken some of his energy away. This fighter, who had lasted against Cell for what must have been almost twenty minutes. He could at least try to wear Cell down or buy some time if he couldn't finish the job himself.

Then the boy appeared.

He was so young, people thought he must have been a delivery boy, bringing an order for break time in the tournament. Part of the reason he shocked the world as he stepped up to fight Cell. He fought Cell with surprising skill for a kid his age, and took a very large amount of attacks. There were long pauses where they had conversations the recording couldn't pick up. Someone had tried to interfere, and got killed for it. Several monsters, small versions of Cell, had emerged, and started beating up the strange warriors that had shown up. At some point following, there had been a strange storm, dust and electrical, it seemed, and the broadcast cut out completely.

She was snapped out of her stupor as Gohan vanished with a snap like a sonic boom, appearing in front of Cell and swinging at him. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head as Cell went skidding several blocks past them, and Gohan took off after him, disappearing from sight.

Sharpner ran over. "Videl!" he called out in a loud whisper. "What the heck was that?!"

She looked at Sharpner with a hesitant look. She didn't often hesitate, and she guessed the rarity of such an expression on her face was not lost on Sharpner. "Videl-?"

"It's Gohan" she blurted out

If she had to make one rule to live by, it would be this. Never tell a fellow friend that a friend that you both thought was dead because you saw him die not half an hour ago that that friend is alive so suddenly. The sudden look of… so many emotions, that crossed Sharpner's face, just made her feel awful.

He froze, face contorting into a Frankenstein-mess of shock, surprise, hope, anger, confusion, and a few more she couldn't put her fingers on. It would almost have looked funny, if not for the circumstances turning it into the furthest thing from funny. "G-Gohan?" he asked.

There was a heated explosion they could feel down the street from them, shattering windows and bathing the area in heat. The two flinched from their cover inside the building. Videl decided to start talking. There wasn't really much else they could do at the moment.

"I always suspected Gohan was Saiyaman" Videl admitted. "He did crazy things in gym class even though he acted like a nerd, he had an expert stance in my dad's class, and… more." For some reason, it felt a little odd to mention how he discussed his father as Saiyaman. That felt more personal.

Sharpner looked at her like she was crazy. "You're saying that Brains is-"

An object flew by with a whistle as it cut through the air. A glowing arrow of energy flew past them and towards the monsters they saw earlier, an explosion happening down by them near instantly.

Videl nodded. "I thought so the whole time-"

"Then why didn't you tell us Gohan was alive?!" Sharpner exclaimed as loud as he dared.

"Because I didn't know and false hope is worse than none!" Videl spat.

There was a pregnant pause between the two, before Sharpner let out a breath. "I… guess I understand that" he admitted. "But how are you sure now?"

"Because I saw Gohan" Videl said. "Over there, by all those monsters, he was there, in a Saiyaman outfit without a helmet." Remembering what came next, there was a cold trickle in her gut. "Cell said…" she paused.

"What did he say?" Sharpner urged.

"Cell said he wanted to fight Gohan" Videl managed.

Sharpner's eyes bulged. "Videl, we have to get out there and help! There's no way Gohan can-" now he stopped short. "I mean, he's Saiyaman, but didn't even your dad have a hard time defeating Cell?"

Videl opened her mouth, though she wasn't quite sure what she was gonna say, when a resounding crash shattered the air, as an object hit the ground _hard_ nearby. The two automatically ducked low and took cover, as shrapnel from the street flew over their heads.

* * *

Gohan turned around and backhanded the other Cell away, which had tried to sneak up on him after flooring the first. Gohan vanished, appearing behind Cell and going for a powerful uppercut into his back. Cell vanished with Instant Transmission, and with shocking speed, delivered a sledgehammer to Gohan's back.

Gohan jolted from the impact, spit flying from his mouth as he was pounded down towards the surface. He flipped forward as he plummeted, landing up to his knees in asphalt, before soaring back up and planted his knee in Cell's perfect chin. There was a loud crack as he was sent reeling, yet he was caught by his other clone.

With a growl, there was a flash of light, and the two merged together, the single Cell left standing looking a little worse for wear. Gohan checked, and Cell's power felt almost back down to his normal strength.

"I thought you were smarter than this" Gohan laughed, in a cruel fashion. "Come on, Cell, you didn't stand a chance against me as you were. Now, you lost most of your power in a single play."

He watched Cell as growled. "Some perfect being you are" he snorted.

Cell's face changed, rapidly morphing from a growl to a smirk. "My, my, Gohan, have you not figured it out yet?" he asked. "You simply cannot win this fight. Why keep fighting fate?"

Gohan grinded his teeth. "You're keeping up the facade pretty well, bug man" he said. His eye twitched. He felt a hot swoop in his stomach again, starting. " _Wait!"_ He glared hard at Cell. "What are you doing to me?!" he demanded.

Cell laughed heartily. "Why Gohan, I haven't the slightest idea what you are speaking of" he said sarcastically.

Gohan growled. "Enough games, Cell, I can feel you're doing something to me. What is it? Is Babidi here?"

Cell pulled a face. "That decrepit lizard man?" he asked with disgust. "The fool had no desire. That Majin Buu character that your father destroyed was his pride and joy, and he had no idea to leave until he had him back." He crossed his arms. "How foolish, that Buu creature is now something completely different."

"Quit stalling" Gohan spat. "I know you're doing something, so you'd better tell me what it is."

"I already told you, and even if I knew, it's not like I gain any advantage by letting you in on the trick" Cell said. His sarcastic tone gave away, he was just toying with him.

" _I'm not going to get any sort of answer out of Cell, he's too smart for that"_ Gohan realized dejectedly. He chanced a sideways glanced. Surprisingly, Bojack still seemed to be down. " _I guess I knocked him out cold"_ he thought. He probably wouldn't be down for long, as tough as he was, but that was giving Zangya the breathing room she needed to keep fighting. The remaining Heras were letting her reign free, and the majority of the army either was nursing wounds from attacks from Gohan, or focusing more on the fight. There were a few, however, that were hunting Zangya. She didn't seem to be in much trouble at the moment, so Gohan looked back to Cell.

" _Whatever Cell's attempting, it has something to do with toying with my emotions"_ Gohan guessed. With a clear head and a lull in the fight, he was able to recognize spikes of rage he had been feeling during their battle. " _He's forcing anger to bait mistakes. I don't know how he's managing to mess with me that way, but if I'm aware of it, it shouldn't be as bad."_

"I can see the wheels in your head turning, boy" Cell's drawling voice washed over him. "But it doesn't matter how long you think about it." Smirking, he brought his hands forward, cupping them in front of himself. "And even if it did, you don't have enough time."

Cell's hands moved to the side, and Gohan's vision sharpened. "Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Cell bellowed.

Gohan dashed forward, pumping energy into his arm as he struck out. Cell vanished before the blow connected, Gohan's fist trailing through empty air.

"Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Gohan growled and turned towards the source of the voice. Cell had reappeared some several yards behind him, attack still charging. A glowing white light began pouring out of his hands, the charge of the Kamehameha wave forming.

"Quit playing games, Cell!" Gohan shouted. He reached deep down, tapping even deeper into his potential power. His shimmering white aura grew more intense and radical, sparks leaping across his frame.

He vanished from view, time seeming to slow down around him. He flung himself towards Cell, barrelling straight into the biodroid and shoving him aside. As Cell began to fall away, Gohan reached up and let loose a blast, shooting Cell into the street hard enough to strip the asphalt from the surface completely.

The blue energy faded from Cell's palms as he skidded to a halt. Gohan planted his feet on the ground, brushing a bead of sweat from his face. " _That felt a little too close for comfort"_ he realized. " _A Kamehameha in the city would have been bad, let alone one from him."_ Cell had really put him on edge when he escaped Gohan's attack the first time. " _What's with me? It's like Cell is toying with my emotions right now. Everything he does gets me riled up in some way."_ He reassumed his fighting stance as Cell got back on his feet. " _Why can't I just figure out whatever it is that he has planned?!"_

Cell growled as he stumbled to his feet. Cheek puffing, he spat out a wad of purple blood. "It would appear that you're more powerful than I gave you credit for, Gohan" he admitted. "If we're being perfectly honest, your speed in that moment did surprise me."

"I warned you that you couldn't beat me, Cell" Gohan said with an authoritative tone. "My power dwarfs what it was back when we fought before."

"I realized that from the start, Gohan" Cell said, smirk once again taking root on his face.

Gohan scowled. "If you're so perceptive, then perhaps you can help me realize something" he said slowly. "I've been kicking you around so far I'm surprised you haven't been blown back through one of these rifts. Yet you've kept your cool." An image passed through Gohan's mind of an engorged Cell. "Something you've never managed when you've been outclassed in the past. So, care to let me in on the joke?"

Cell raised his eyebrows, smirk growing. Gohan felt himself becoming infuriated by that cocky smile. Even with how outclassed Cell was, especially since his power was gambled away in his Multiform attack, his attitude would make you think he was still the one in the lead.

"Well Gohan, I suppose that things are about wrapped up here anyways, so, why not?" he asked. "There is something quite invigorating about releasing a plan just prior to its fruition after all."

Gohan watched carefully as Cell paused. "However, give things about 2 more seconds" he said, glancing behind him.

He heard a scream echo through the street before he had traced Cell's line of sight. His head shot in the direction of the horrified sound almost mechanically, only just in time to see a plume of green smoke rise from the ground.

"I daresay your unexpected ally in this mess will be back momentarily" Cell laughed, and Gohan realized with a start that the scream had been Zangya. His eyes found Bojack, who had gotten back on his feet, something Gohan hadn't expected so soon. "But for now, we have the privacy we need."

Gohan's teeth grinded almost audibly. In his mind, he realized, to a degree, that Zangya was out for revenge more than helping him, and that she'd probably be able to find her way back out of HFIL within a couple moments.

But Gohan wasn't thinking rationally at the moment. "I thought I told you, _enough games_ " Gohan warned. "If you're going to explain, I'd do it before I punch a hole through your 'perfect' face."

"I would say that your impatience astounds me, considering your character" Cell said as he turned back to face Gohan. "But, I know better, after all. It's in your biology."

"My…" Gohan's anger briefly faded, replaced with confusion. "My biolo-"

The next thing Gohan realized was an extreme pain. Cell had vanished in his moment of confusion, and the pain that followed forced him to his knees. He let out a gasp as the sharp signals raced through his body.

"Yes, Gohan" Cell's voice came from behind him. He raised his hand, something thin, brown, and furry clasped in it. "Your biology."

Gohan couldn't tell whether his next gasp was in shock or in pain as Cell gave a tight squeeze, pinching his wriggling tail tight.

* * *

 **Otherworld**

* * *

"What? They're all out?"

"With the Check In Station down, and those rifts in the dimensional walls caused by that creature, most anyone can escape the Otherworld now."

Pikkon grimaced. "DISGUSTING FREAK!" he roared, as the jelly bean-like barrier surrounding Yemma's palace cracked further. He huffed for a moment, looking back at the bulbous reflection of the massive ogre. "I suppose that it's a win/lose then. Goku certainly doesn't need any of those evil souls pestering him while he tries to put Janemba down, but this is a worst case scenario for the living world."

"Quite so" Yemma agreed. "In fact, once you get done here-"

"GONNA CRY LIKE A BABY?!" Pikkon shouted again, further chips flaking off.

"-we may need your two's assistance in rounding up those souls that escaped" Yemma finished.

Pikkon took a deep breath. "IDIOTIC TRASH HEAP!" he shouted. Avoiding the shards that chipped off, he stepped in for a closer inspection. "Damnit, how deep does this thing go!?"

"You're almost there, your image isn't nearly as distorted anymore" Yemma informed him. "Maybe three inches to go."

Pikkon took another deep breath. "USELESS WASTE OF SPACE!" he roared, more splinters falling down. He growled. "At this pace, three inches might as well be three miles."

"I don't care how long it _feels_ like, Pikkon" Yemma grouched. "Every moment we're locked in here is another moment things on the other side destabilize! Keep cursing it out!"

Pikkon pulled a poker face. "I'll try, but I'm running low on insults…" he muttered. This barrier was thick, he had ran through just about every swear word and insult in the book that he had picked up in his life and beyond.

"MISERABLE WRECK!" he roared.

* * *

Gohan's knuckles were white as his hands clenched tight. He wanted to gasp in pain, but the noise caught in his chest, he couldn't even move to make the sound. A weak moan escaped his lips as pain wracked his body.

"You've impressed me, Gohan" Cell said. "The powers you've shown in this battle, well, they are far beyond anything I could have expected. I suppose my prior defeat was only at the hands of the best, after all."

" _Some consolation!"_ Gohan screamed inwardly.

"Ah, yes, I suppose you must be wondering how I have you here" Cell drawled. The grip on the unfamiliar furry appendage lessened (though did not stop), and Gohan let out the gasp that had been bottled up.

"Kind of redundant to ask at this point" Gohan admitted with a growl, turning to face Cell.

Cell smirked. "Knowledge is power, boy, and it would seem that you are lacking in that area."

"So the boy is ready for his biology lesson?" nasally voice asked.

Gohan recognized the voice, but he couldn't tell from where. The energy approaching him wasn't a great one, so he couldn't tell who it was that way either.

Light footfalls made their way across the ground. Gohan turned back in time to see a purple boot smash into his face. There was little power behind his assailant, yet he felt the blood rush to the area immediately all the same. With his tail still gripped, Gohan hadn't the focus to muster his ki properly.

"You can blame your father for this one, kid" the unknown figure said. Gohan was able to crane his neck up a little bit, enough to see purple and black boots, and dark, pale legs. Re color scheme before him was familiar, and it clicked. He had even seen him several minutes ago.

"Turles" Gohan spat.

"How touching, the boy remembers me" Turles chuckled.

"How could I forget?" he asked. "You look almost exactly like my dad, and you tried to destroy the Earth with a giant tree. That's pretty noteworthy, even by my standards."

"Ah, yes, the Tree of Might" Turles said with a fond tone of nostalgia. "Perhaps I can find some seeds left here, it will be good use of this planet once all of its defenders are dead."

"Making a lot of assumptions there" Gohan growled.

Turles laughed again. "Feisty right now, aren't we?" he asked. "That's to be expected. The growth of a tail, especially this rapidly, would cause an influx of Saiyan hormones. And we are violent and angry by race, after all."

A piece of the puzzle fit itself into place. That explained why he had been acting irrationally during his fight with Cell.

Turles kneeled down, evil grin lighting his face as he leveled with Gohan. "Those who could sense power levels knew your power was up there" Turles said. "When we learned it was Kakarot's son, who better to know how to handicap a Saiyan, than another Saiyan?"

He stood back up, looking to Cell. "Mind if I have a yank?" he asked.

"Be my guest" Cell said, handing Gohan's tail to Turles.

Gohan felt the exchange. They were being cautious, that was for sure. Cell didn't release Gohan until after Turles had a firm grip.

"Now tell me, kid, how much do you know about a Saiyan tail?" Turles asked, giving it a painful tug.

Gohan gritted his teeth until the pain subsided. "They serve as weak points, hold some of a Saiyan's power, and can trigger a Great Ape form" Gohan recited what he knew. "And from what you told me, they probably have hormone secreting glands in them as well."

"Good, so you aren't totally naive in your biology" Turles chuckled. "Say, do you want to experience the rush of the mighty Oozaru right now?"

Gohan scoffed. "Even if I did, I also know that a full moon is required to transform into one."

"Ah, the first wrong answer" Turles sighed, pinching his tail harder and causing the teenaged Demi Saiyan to hiss in pain. "Full moons make things easy, but what really makes the magic happen are the Blutz Waves. And some of us higher ups know how to make our own."

Gohan felt a grip on his hair as his head was forced up. "Ever heard of a Power Ball, kid?" he asked. "You should have, I made you transform with one once."

Gohan's head was jerked even higher, and his heart nearly stopped as his gaze fixed on a large white orb in the sky. Fear flooded his veins as he felt the beams of the Power Ball enter through his eyes. Moments passed, however, and he realized that his heart hadn't started literally pounding out of his chest.

Turles laughed. "I could feel your naked fear from up here" he said. "Your tail can't harness Blutz Waves if it's grasped. At least it can't if it's untrained."

Turles released Gohan's hair, letting his head fall. "Then what's the point of creating a Power Ball?" he asked.

"Tsk, tsk, what did I just say?" Turles asked. "A Power Ball creates _Blutz Waves!_ If we wanted to get you in this position, that's exactly what we needed."

"Adult Saiyans cannot regrow a severed tail. Our bodies are not able to recover like that once we've reached that stage. However, in adolescence, a tail can, in fact, come back. There are a few circumstances needed. For one, an adrenaline spike, you need the energy moving through your body to let the hormones work. And secondly, you need the actual Blutz Waves to trigger the growth."

Gohan began to understand. "So this entire time…"

"I told you, Gohan, I didn't plan to win our fight" Cell laughed. "All I needed was to keep you sufficiently distracted while Turles worked his Saiyan magic. Once you had a tail of your own, we knew you'd be nothing but a joke."

Heavy footfalls fell nearby, as splayed purple feet came into view. "So, the time is ripe?" Cooler asked.

"Indeed" Cell acknowledged. "Alright, everyone, let the Ginyu Force lead the way! Rock, Paper, Scissors to decide who gets first crack at the son of Goku!"

* * *

The two teenagers crouched behind the ruined walls of the building, skin pale.

Sharpner gulped. "O-okay, I'll be the first to say it" he stuttered out. "What the _hell_ is going on out there?! What did Gohan, I mean, how did Gohan-!?"

"Shh!" Videl shushed the blonde teen. Her brain was firing too fast for her to even keep up with her own thoughts at the moment, but she knew that they didn't want to be found at that moment.

When Cell had singled out Gohan, she had been shocked, even more so when Cell said that Gohan had destroyed him. She didn't know what to make of that mess, but she felt inside that Gohan was a goner.

Then they began fighting. And she had a sudden understanding for why some people believed that those tricks were real. She felt every single time they seemed to clash, shockwaves shaking the buildings, rattling her very bones, heat washing over her like she was in an oven. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that there was a truly planet-shaking battle unfolding before her very eyes.

But she did know better. She knew better…

Then why couldn't she see through it? She's seen tricks before, she could always pick them out. She always knew the secret to the trick. But here? All of her senses were telling her that there was no trick, no faking it.

The fight had seemingly only taken a few moments, but whenever the two of them reappeared in their field of vision, the situation was drastically altered. They had set down out of sight, but she didn't trust herself, and moreso Sharpner, to make it closer to the scene. Trick or not, there was something dangerous going on out there, whatever was being used had enough power to send tremors through the street.

" _Come on, Satan"_ Videl chided herself. " _Your dad could figure out all these tricks in his sleep, and you can too!"_

Easier said than done while the flood of sensory input was screaming otherwise at her.

Besides her, Sharpner took a breath. "Videl… what the heck is going on out there?" he asked.

" _I wish I knew!"_ Videl berated herself internally. "They're attacking the city, that much should be obvious" Videl said aloud.

Sharpner blanched. "Gohan too?" he asked.

"No" Videl was quick to respond, surprising herself with the almost reflexive answer. "Whatever's going on out there, whatever trick they're pulling, Gohan… he isn't with them."

Sharpner looked back out at the street, a hesitant look on his face. "A trick?" he asked.

"Yeah" Videl said, voice laced with uncertainty.

Sharpner facepalmed. "Videl, your father is my idol, and everything, but…" he trailed off.

"But what?" Videl asked.

He sighed. "He's my idol, I believe him and everything, but I don't know what would be the point of pulling all these tricks if the city is supposed to be evacuated and no one else is around."

Videl felt a sinking feeling in her gut as she realize just how hard he hit the nail on the head. " _He's right, those tricks don't have any actual value in a fight besides for show"_ she remembered. " _So, if there's no show…"_

"Videl, what if this isn't a trick?" Sharpner asked. He picked up a rock off the ground, a fragment of the building they were hiding in. "I believed your father, but what if… what if he was wrong? He might think it was a trick, but it feels-"

"Real" Videl finished. "It feels way too real."

Something nagged Videl at the back of her mind as she admitted it, but she couldn't focus on it. At that moment, there was a ripping sound through the air. Both Videl and Sharpner nearly jumped out of their skins as the sound invaded their ears, and the very air around them began to sway and distort. An unfamiliar and cold presence began to wash over them, sending shivers down their back, and making them feel very weak.

The two human teenagers had no energy sensing abilities, but even they could feel the danger entering the air.

* * *

" _I can't believe how badly I screwed up!"_

How he could possibly get into this situation, he didn't know. No one around was anywhere close to as strong as he had been, even Cell's massive power boost from the Spirit Bomb had faded.

And like every time before, he let his cockiness got the better of him.

Against Cell the first time, he toyed with him, which gave him time to self destruct, causing his father to perish.

Him not defeating Buu in the beginning gave the Majin a chance to absorb the boys and Piccolo, eventually leading to the destruction of the planet, even though it was reversed later.

And now? He didn't consider Cell enough of a threat. He knew his power, he knew to keep an eye on the biodroid to make sure he didn't attempt to destroy the planet again. But he didn't keep enough of a glean on the situation to see that he was playing right into their hands. And because of that, he was at the mercy of the worst beings from throughout the universe, their _plaything_.

Turles hadn't loosened the grip on his tail in the slightest, keeping him immobilized. He didn't any power to get him out of the situation.

That's when a heavy footfall cracked the concrete in front of him. A glance up, and he saw the large green torso of the space pirate leader himself. Bojack looked down at him with a pitiful look. "And to think, a child like yourself was the one to kill me" he scoffed.

"Don't act so surprised, big guy" Gohan grunted. "You needed an entire army and a sneak attack to get this far. You wouldn't sound so tough if it were just me and you."

" _If_ being the main word" Bojack smirked. "You don't become a space pirate without learning the value of a useful crew, kid. With a crew like this, I have you under my boot."

He stepped forward, planting his foot on Gohan's head and forcing him down. He was powerless to resist, Bojack didn't even have to exert a fraction of his true power to force him down. His face dug into the concrete, pressure squeezing his skull. He cried out in pain as Bojack crushed his head into the ground.

He heard the high, cold laugh of the man above him. "Oh, the cries of the departed have nothing on a living victim" he laughed.

The pressure left Gohan's head, and he let out a gasp of relief as the burden left. He panted as he forced himself to look back at Bojack. He wouldn't let himself appear weak.

"Is love nothing more than to keep pressing, and waiting until your head split open like a melon" Bojack grunted. "I've done it many a time, and it would be so easy… but I'm not the only one who wants the chance to make you suffer, after all. It would be a shame if I were the only one to get my licks in."

He smirked, and glanced over to Cell. "He's very weak, make sure no one else kills him having a little fun" he commented. "He's got the strength of a newborn right now, hah hah hah!"

"Good, that's what I like to hear" Cell laughed alongside Bojack.

Gohan growled and took a glance behind him. Turles was standing pretty wide open, he could easily lock a kick into the back of his knees from this angle… though even if Gohan could muster up the strength for that much movement, it wouldn't do him any good if he couldn't put any power into it.

Almost as if sensing his thoughts, Turles gave Gohan's tail a squeeze, eliciting a painful grunt from the demi Saiyan and forcing his head down. "I'd give up if I were you, kid" he chuckled. "None of your friends are here to save you, and I doubt they would be able to get through Cell. He doesn't want you going anywhere, after all…"

"Go to hell" Gohan spat.

Turles grinned. "No thanks, this supposed to be a vacation away from home. But I'd be happy to help you with a one way ticket there."

Gohan opened his mouth to retort again when a searing pain pierced his shoulder. He shouted in pain as the thin, red ray struck him. He felt Frieza's energy much closer to him than before, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Frieza planned to take his vengeance next.

The Arcosian let out a sigh. "It's truly sad, the enjoyment of torture is quite lessened when the victim cannot attempt to flee."

Gohan growled once again, his throat was getting really sore by now. He never found himself growling this much before his tail returned. "Well why don't you have this guy let me go, and then you can try and make me run around all you want."

"Oh, I think not" Frieza laughed. "As much as I would love that, the joy of this suffices enough that I would take it over a return to that Hell we escaped." He punctuated the word "Hell" with another lesser Death Beam. The blasts did not pierce him, but they burned his skin bad and sure didn't feel like they stopped at the surface.

Gohan felt one more hit the same spot as the last 2 struck, and the strength left his arm. He felt a wet trickle as well, and had a feeling that he didn't escape as luckily as he did the past two times. His body jerked as his left arm fell limp, agony igniting throughout his body as old wounds were torn open once again.

He could feel his scars from Cell's blast, all those years ago, open up once again as Frieza's Death Beam pierced the previously weakened area. He had been holding himself up before, but he fell flat to the ground now as the pain wracked his body. He let out a cry as the wounds split apart, much to Frieza's delight.

"Oh, how I love a writhing monkey!" he cackled. "Few things bring joy to my heart like so!"

Gohan had trouble making out what Frieza said through the haze of pain he found himself in, but was dragged back into a focused reality when he felt a tight squeeze on his throat. His eyes widened in shock as he was dragged up, and saw a long, white tail wrapped around his neck. He choked and clutched at his throat with his good hand, trying to claw the tail off of him. Frieza leaned down and locked eyes with him. "The sins of the parent are borne upon the child" he nearly whispered with a deathlike voice. "You will pay for your father's transgressions before you're sent off to join him, that I promise…"

The pressure on his throat was released, and he fell back to the ground. " _I'm getting really sick of this"_ he moaned internally.

Frieza straightened with a sigh. He shot a glare at Cell. "I want in for the kill shot" he said simply.

Cell smirked. "Perhaps we can share with that" he offered.

Frieza scoffed and trotted away, tail swishing behind him, leaving Gohan panting on the ground. The cold air stung his exposed, bleeding flesh as it dripped onto the ground. Through the haze of pain, he glared at the retreating Arcosian. He wanted nothing more than to break forward and strike Frieza down, severely angry at his method of torture. The base of his tail, between his back and Turles' hand, twitched violently, and a spark leapt from his hand.

As if triggered by it, Cell and Turles both gave hearty laughs. "You know, I've had my doubts, kid, but you may just be a true Saiyan yet" Turles chuckled. "All that inner rage, boiling over like this? It's too bad you didn't join me back in the day, the Saiyan race may just have lived on."

"Oh, I learned long ago not to underestimate this boy" Cell commented. "As bitter as they've tasted, I have to admit, he is full of surprises." Cell sighed. "In fact, I-"

Gohan sensed a sudden spike of ki, and suddenly felt Cell moving. As much pain as he was in, he turned his head to follow Cell's movement, as the biodroid leapt across him and in front of Turles. A spiraling orange beam, glowing with a red aura, came streaking down, on course to strike the dark Saiyan, yet Cell caught it in the palm of his hand, stopping it dead in its tracks.

" _Wait, that's…"_ Gohan realized.

"The Special Beam Cannon…" Cell muttered. He raised his head towards the rooftops. "I was wondering when you would show up, Piccolo, I was beginning to wonder if I had missed your arrival to Hell or not."

Gohan couldn't see that far, but he could feel the faint signature of Piccolo's ki nearby. It was suppressed, he wouldn't have felt it if he hadn't been alerted to the presence.

"So, it's true" Piccolo's calm, cold voice rang down. "The loser residents of the afterlife have come back for a second round."

"Heh heh…" Cell chuckled.

Gohan started as the signature belonging to Piccolo flared to an all time high. Piccolo came flying into view, red aura surrounding him, moving at speeds much higher than normal. He approached Gohan, only for the green arm of Cell to smack him into the ground. Surprisingly, after taking the blow from Cell, Piccolo bounced straight back up.

"You… You're quite a bit faster than I remembered" Cell commented, a slightly startled sound invading his voice.

"I'm not late for no reason" Piccolo said gruffly. He flashed red again and charged Cell, striking out. Cell raised his hand to block, but he was knocked aside, and Piccolo landed a solid blow to his torso, sending Cell skidding backwards several paces. The red energy faded, leaving Piccolo panting. "Times ten is still a little rough" he said.

"Times ten?" Cell asked. "Ahhh, I understand now…"

"I didn't expect the element of surprise to do me much in this case, but all the same, it was a necessary precaution" Piccolo said.

"The Kaioken" Cell laughed. "One of your people's techniques that I never found the slightest use for.

"Yeah, and I know why" Piccolo said, leaping forward and slamming into Cell again, which this time, Cell successfully guarded. "I asked Goku why he didn't use the Kaioken in tandem with his Super Saiyan form, one time."

"Perfection is relative" Cell said, batting Piccolo away as his aura flared high. "I have the power of a Super Saiyan myself, and harnessing that power is just enough of a strain, even for me, to prevent that combo from working."

Piccolo tumbled and staggered back to his feet. He locked eyes with Gohan for a brief moment, growl forming on his lips as his eyes shifted to his shoulder. " _Gohan, what's going on?!"_ his voice entered his mind.

" _Too… too much to explain"_ Gohan said. " _Can you try and get Turles off of me?"_

" _I got enough of a read on the situation to know to try that"_ Piccolo responded, not showing any signs he was having a conversation as he dropped into a fighting stance as more villains surrounded him. " _Cell seems on intent on keeping me from getting to him, though. I'll try, but I've got problems of my own right now."_

"The same Namekian who stood alongside the Saiyans and the Earthlings on Namek?" Frieza asked.

"And the same slimy lizard who doesn't know when to call it a day" Piccolo scoffed.

There was quite the crowd forming around Piccolo now. Some seemed apprehensive, having remembered him from their previous encounters, and having just seen him tackle Cell head on. On the other hand, they appeared quite confident in their numbers.

But they didn't know Piccolo. And apparently, his mentor still had some tricks up his sleeve that not even Gohan knew about.

Piccolo's ki swelled again, but this time, his energy did not flash red. Piccolo's muscles tensed and bulged, only they didn't stop bulging once they reached their limits. His body began swelling, rapidly increasing in size, becoming twice his previous size, triple, and then even larger than that.

Gohan had seen Piccolo bulk up when they had fought Garlic Jr., but this was somehow even more drastic of a change. Piccolo became practically the size of a Great Ape, almost the size of the surrounding buildings, and taking up the entirety of the street.

"COME ON, I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON AT ONCE!" the gigantic Piccolo roared, windows shattering around him. Semi-sized fist forming, Piccolo slugged down at the crowd.

He moved surprisingly fast for his size, crushing multiple opponents in his wake. The faster ones, like Bojack, Frieza, and others like them avoided the attack, and took to the sky, surrounding Piccolo like a cloud of flies. Frieza went on the offensive first, flying high above Piccolo and reaching skyward, a ball of crackling black and purple energy forming at his fingertip. But before the Death Ball could fully form, a massive, outstretched hand shot upwards, as Piccolo's arm stretched to reach the height. Frieza failed to react in time, Piccolo crushing him in his grip and whipping him down towards the street.

Bojack backpedaled in the air, his own green aura condensing into his hands, before flinging a double Grand Smasher attack towards the enormous Namekian. Piccolo twisted to face the incoming attacks. He took a deep breath, and unleashed a massive blast from his mouth, scorching the sides of all the buildings as it flew past. The energy beams collided, Piccolo's blast slowing Bojack's Grand Smasher attack, but failing to stop it. Around the flashing light, however, two massive arms stretched out, grabbing Bojack and pulling him in. There was a massive detonation as Bojack was pulled directly into the violent collision between the two blasts.

Bojack's ki wasn't anywhere near gone from that blast, but Gohan was surprised that Piccolo was doing so well. At his power level nowadays, he was far stronger than the likes of Frieza, but the foes like Bojack and Cell still had a large edge in power. He was stronger right now, of course, in his giant form, but it wasn't quite the same power he had when he used Kaioken. The fact that he was even able to damage Bojack was impressive in of itself.

Piccolo raised his hands to his forehead, crackling energy forming, before thrusting his arms down at either side of him. "MASENKO!" he roared, sending out twin blasts, tracing through the streets. Once again, many of them evaded the attack, but Gohan saw the remainder of the Ginyu Force, as well as some of the others vaporized in the fierce attack.

"Enough of these games" Cell growled. The biodroid took to the air, rising to the level of Piccolo's torso.

Gohan watched Cell rise with bated breath. " _Piccolo, look out!"_ he shouted mentally.

Piccolo whipped Cooler away from him and turned around to see Cell send a powerful blast his way. Piccolo rapidly shrunk back to his normal size, dodging the blast. He flared his red aura as the Kaioken took effect again. "TIMES TEN!" he roared, charging through the air and lashed out at Cell once again. The two engaged into a vicious struggle, Cell holding the advantage as they clashed. Even so, Piccolo managed to send Cell reeling with a blow to the chest, just in time to turn around and smack Cooler away again as he charged him. He dashed after him, launching a rapid series of blows to Cooler, battering the elder brother of Frieza into the side of a building.

Cell appeared besides Piccolo out of nowhere. Piccolo twisted to face him, and started violently, Cell's fist now sprouting from his back.

"NO!" Gohan roared, some small amount of power surging back into his limbs. He began to get up, before he was floored by a rather violent squeeze on the tail. He let out a shout as the pain flooded his body.

Cell smirked as Piccolo groaned, strength rapidly ebbing out through the hole Cell had made in his chest. He brought his other hand up and laid it firmly on Piccolo's chest. "I'm proud of how far you've come, Piccolo" he said tauntingly. "Now… See ya!"

Much like his fist before, a rather wide blast of yellow energy erupted out of Piccolo, going straight through his body and vaporizing a clear path out of the city, cleaving through the buildings behind him.

The blast faded, Cell retracted his arm, and let Piccolo fall to the earth below. His body flopped to the ground, kicking up dust into the polluted air, with a purple stain spreading across the ground. His ki remained, but it was faint.

Cell let out a breath. "I would have expected any of the Saiyans to have surpassed me on my way back to Earth, but not Piccolo." He gave a small laugh. "That was an honest to goodness surprise. Blame it on the Saiyan in me, but that was a welcome event!"

"Yes, yes, bully for you" King Cold sighed, stepping forward for the first time. "But the deal was we leave the brat alive for kicks, not leave all his friends the same." He glared down at Piccolo. "Considering the Namekian race's healing properties, and the damage that he was able to do to our army, least of all my sons, I say we end this before it can escalate further." He punctuated the last phrase with a lightning fast whip of the arm, and unleashed a energy wave that consumed Piccolo's body. There was not a sound but the debris settling on the street, being such that with the tight grip on Gohan's tail was such that the scream was never able to leave his throat.

Cell scowled. "A bit of a rash move, don't you think? With the check in station down, it will only take the few moments for him to arrive there, and another moment to locate a rift to make his way back to this very spot with a full spirit and fresh body."

Kind Cold looked towards Cell. "Think about it, Cell, do you honestly believe that the Namek, as powerful as he was, could last long enough in the battleground between the Saiyan and our benefactor to make his way here?"

"Never underestimate these hero types" Cell warned. "They always manage some bullshit to come through in the-"

Another ripple shot through the air, rending through the fabric of reality. Cell whirled around to face King Cold full on. "DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN?!" he roared.

Not ten feet in front of him, reality began to split again, revealing a black, shifting pit, with something moving within. A brief thought flashed through his mind, wondering how Piccolo could have returned so fast if he had just gone there. From the sound of it, it seemed to take several moments to make the trip.

But the bickering faded to the background as a red, clawed hand grabbed the edge of the portal. A pure, dark, and chaotic energy flooded the streets, sending chills to Gohan's very core. This energy, it was so much raw evil, and _familiar._

The energy wave caught the attention of not just him, yet the rest. Even the ones who couldn't sense power levels were drawn towards the vacuum the emanated from the rift. With all attention focused on it, a horned, red head emerged from the portal.

The figure emerging from the portal had yellow, snake like eyes, and wore a blue suit that covered his entire body, save his chest, with a sharp white cape flowing down. Even without knowing his identity, Gohan would have pegged him as demonic from first glance.

"Hey, who are you?" Cell barked. "I know near every denizen of that Hell, and you certainly aren't one of them."

For a moment, the demon looked at Gohan, an unreadable expression in his evil eyes, before looking towards the source of the accusation. Turning towards Cell, his posture showed no fear. "It would seem my reputation still requires work among the lower worlds" he spoke with a harsh, rough voice. "My name is Dabura, and I am the king of the Demon Realm."

The battlefield fell silent momentarily, before bursting out in laughter. "You, a Demon King?" Cell chuckled. "You seem to have some amount of power, but I highly doubt you could find yourself- ECH!"

Cell rubbed his shoulder with a disgusted expression upon his face. "Did, did you just spit on me?!" he asked incredulously.

Gohan froze. "Yes, and for two reasons" Dabura said. "For disrespecting royalty, and, well…" he gestured towards Cell's shoulder.

Cell glanced at the affected area, and started in shock. Gohan knew what was happening, but Cell, on the other hand, was wondering-

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Cell roared.

"Fitting term" Dabura scoffed. As if Cell wasn't there, Dabura wheeled away from the biodroid, black flames leaping from his hands, extending and solidifying into the shape of a spear, and in the same motion, tossed the said weapon in Gohan's direction.

He closed his eyes tight, only for a wet splatter to hit him on the back of his neck, and to feel the grip on his tail jerk. Dabura called out, high and cold. "RISE, GOHAN!" he called.

The sound of a body hitting the ground alerted him, and Gohan felt power surging back through his body. He let out a gasp, and sprang into the air, tail wagging free, and now itching, as if feeling a bombardment of needles. Realizing what the sensation was, he closed his eyes tight and aimed his arm in the direction he felt the sensation coming from, and unleashed a blast. He felt the detonation in the air, and the feeling faded. Confident that Turles' Power Ball was out of play, he opened his eyes, and looked down below, shocked at the scene.

Cell was completely solidified, trapped in a stone body. Turles lied in the street, seemingly dead, with a spear buried in his chest. Dabura stood facing the remainder of the army, curved blade in hand.

With his power back, Gohan was able to push some of the pain out of mind, but his left arm was still more or less useless. He landed beside Dabura, hot energy forming in his hand. He reached up and pressed it to his severely wounded flesh agonizingly, searing the area and cauterizing the wound. With that done, he raised his good hand cautiously, forming a ki blade. "Dabura…" he said warningly.

"I doubt you'd take me at my word, but I assure you, I'm on your side" Dabura tried to assure him.

Gohan glowered. "The Demon King? With a heart of darkness? Babidi's magic only does so much to darken someone, Dabura."

Dabura sighed. "Light was a stranger to my court for my entire life, that is true enough" he admitted. "But when I saw the distress, and the love shown by your mother and her friend, how they searched so ceaselessly for you, it moved something within me." He patted his chest. "Witnessing love, so firsthand, was a life, or should I say, soul changing experience."

He sounded sincere, but Gohan wasn't going to give the Demon King a chance to backstab him. "I'm keeping you at an arm's length" he said.

"I wouldn't, you need your only good arm to fight, don't you?" Dabura asked.

Gohan's brow furrowed. "Did… Did you just crack a joke?"

Dabura chuckled. "A jest in combat, what of it?"

Oddly, Gohan felt reassured by Dabura's quips, but he turned as the remainder of the army fell back in towards them. In the lead, King Cold and Bojack stepped forth. "We had our doubts before, but you've confirmed them" Bojack spoke.

"What kind of Demon King would help a Saiyan runt defend a world?" Cold asked.

Dabura swung his blade expertly. "Our origins and genealogy do not affect ourselves" he spoke firmly. "I have travelled in darkness for a long time, and I must say, I enjoy the light."

"Light has a tendency to burn your eyes" Frieza said, stepping forth. His body was extremely battered from being crushed by Piccolo…

" _Snap out of it!"_ he chided himself. In this situation, he couldn't afford to let his emotions take over. After all, Piccolo could emerge back at any time.

King Cold gave a laugh worthy of his name. "And your lack of vision will be your downfall" he said. "You think you've gained an edge over us? All of our allies will be back in mere moments, ready to break you down."

Dabura scoffed. "Stumbling around in the dark will leave you blind as a bat." He let out a devilish grin. "Don't you know? I'm just playing the role of bounty hunter now that the containment is ready. The check in station is back up, and Yemma sent me here personally to clean you all up."

Gohan looked at Dabura in shock. "Wait, the check in station is back up?" he asked.

"Yes, an otherworld warrior known as Pikkon freed it moments ago" Dabura said. "By the time I arrived, rifts were already closing."

Gohan gulped. " _That means… that means Piccolo can't make it back!"_ he realized.

"And furthermore, your partner Cell, he isn't dead yet" Dabura continued. "He lives in that stone. I mean…" Extending his hand to the side, he unleashed a blast of bloody red energy, consuming the statue in an instant. "He _lived_ in that stone."

The effect was instantaneous. The sudden morale drop within the opposing army was practically tangible in the air. Only Bojack appeared unnerved by that act, the rest of them almost seemed to shrink back.

Dabura took a breath. "Now then…" he breathed. Dark flames licked down his arm, swirling around his demon sabre, causing the blade to grow slightly in size. "I'd say, it's time to get to work!"

* * *

 **If I'm being honest here, I felt really good going into the chapter, but the feeling began to peter off as I neared the end. Hopefully, that's just me, and you guys enjoyed the chapter just as much all the same.**

 **I also wanted to have this chapter up as a special Christmas update, but I guess a New Year's Eve update is good, too.**

 **Anyways, onto the chapter itself. Quite a few big revelations in here. The fact that Videl and Sharpner have their eyes opened a bit, Piccolo is dead… Oh yeah, Gohan has a tail again. It was an idea I've had since near the start of my conception of the story, and yes, it's gonna play a good role as we go deeper into the plot. Don't worry, GT haters, I don't plan Super Saiyan 4, not for this story at all.**

 **Number on the opposing side are dwindling. King Cold is finally done standing back, many of the weaker foes have been vanquished, leaving only the bosses behind. Cell is out of the picture by Dabura's hands, and the Loser Squad is about to fight its final chapter. Speaking of Dabura, he's another idea I had for a while. I originally wanted the Saiyan Army to join in for the fight, cleaning up the remainder on Earth, but it felt too contrived, and I scrapped the idea.**

 **As always, I'm going to respond to your guys' reviews before leaving. Speaking of which, I'd like to thank all of you. When I started typing this chapter, I was already floored by the fact that it had 600 followers. The night I'm pushing this out, we are just shy of 700, and you do not know how happy that makes me feel.** _ **Ahem,**_ **sorry, enough gushing, on to you guys.**

 **victor0606 - Everyone who escaped HFIL is going right back once things are said and done. Zangya didn't even make it back, her main deal was weakening some of the army and destroying some of the weakest members. She was never going to be a major character.**

 **Kaflaful - heh, sorry, I couldn't help writing in some comic relief. It's the Ginyu Force, after all. And yeah, as I mentioned, I toyed with the idea of the Saiyans coming, but it felt too contrived to me, so I scrapped it in the end.**

 **Re-Wright2390 - nah, genetics**

 **Bizarrecoyote - I didn't explicitly state it, I don't think, both those tingles were the sensation of his tail regrowing.**

 **Sharingankakashi007 - sure, Goku will come help, right as soon as he's done dealing with a reality rending hell demon**

 **Everyone commenting on how Bojack's grip was forced, check the beginning of the chapter, same with everyone who wonders why Gohan hasn't snuffed everyone out yet.**

 **There will be a more or less collective casualty count of the army, and how they died, next chapter, as long as I don't forget. Most of the lessers, like Gero or the Cell Jrs, haven't really gotten mentioned, and that's just because it's hard enough writing a battle on this scale without including every riff raff character, I'm sorry, but I do have my own limits.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always, I love to see all of your reviews, and I can't wait to see you all next time. After Hell's Army is down, there's still one foe that remains… And he's more of a threat to the planet than anyone realizes.**


	11. Chapter 11

**One year ago today, I published the first chapter of Another Age, Another Adventure. How fast time flies when you're doing something you love. I hope you all wish this story a happy anniversary!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11 - Demons**

* * *

The Loser Squad was dwindling in numbers, but they certainly weren't going down quietly.

Dabura charged into their ranks, demon sabre glinting cruelty while a black flame licked the blade. Several of the army scattered, but Cooler wasn't so lucky as to do that. He formed a blade of his own ki, not unlike Salza's, and tried to meet Dabura head on.

It would be the last mistake the elder brother Arcosian ever made.

Dabura's blade came swinging down, shattering Cooler's ki blade before he could do anything with it. Dabura quickly followed up his slashing attack with a fierce kick to his torso, greatly winding Cooler. As he began to fall, Dabura extended his hand, red and black energy crackling within, and unleashed a torrent, shredding what was left of the street and vaporizing Cooler in the blast of evil energy.

Dabura had only been fighting for mere moments, and already one of the higher ups were down. That was all the motivation needed to drive the others to fly in and attack.

Gohan looked on at the display as Dabura artfully weaved between attacks. Blows and blasts from Frieza, Cold, Bido, Bujin, Koga, Burter, and Recoome were all dodged with ease.

A large green figure came crashing in, however, and sent Dabura flying backwards. The demon king skidded across the ground, growling as he flipped back up, locking eyes with Bojack. "You're quite a powerful one" Dabura noted.

"Even if you don't act like it, you carry the strength and skill of a demon king" Bojack responded. He glanced behind him, and the remaining three Heras walked up to stand alongside him. "It is immense, however, it is limited. I-"

Bojack found himself unable to complete his statement as a boot connected with his face, sending him through Kogu and Bujin, while Bido stood off to the side. Gohan finished his motion and landed, and in the spirit of no one left out, extended his palm and blasted Bido at point-blank range, incinerating the Hera.

Gohan hissed a bit. The movement was painful, but far from unbearable. He clenched his responsive hand tightly while his left arm hung at his side uselessly. "Let me handle Bojack" he said to Dabura. "I'd wager he's the only one here who could give you any trouble, but I can make sure he goes down. Just take care of all the others."

Dabura glanced towards the engorged Hera, and nodded to Gohan. "Alright, take down the leader, I'll scatter the army on the winds!"

In response, Dabura brandished his sword and darted past him, rushing back into the fray as Gohan faced down the recovering Hera.

He took a deep breath, clenching his one good hand tightly. " _With Cell gone, Bojack is the only real threat remaining"_ he considered. He looked towards his bloodied shoulder and limp arm. " _Normally, one on one, Bojack wouldn't be an issue, but my power's beginning to lower, and without one of my arms, I feel kind of handicapped."_

"Boy, you are going to regret that" Bojack seethed as he faced Gohan. His engorged muscles tightened as his green aura flared to life, and his energy level rose to its apparent maximum. Next to him, Kogu struggled to his feet, and Gohan was surprised to see that he had taken on an appearance not unlike that of his leader's. Bujin, however, appeared to be down for the count.

Kogu drew his sword, the blade's sheen dulled in the hazy air, and leveled the weapon towards Gohan. "The lizard man didn't seem to complete his task, what do you say we finish severing your arm, eh?"

Gohan dropped into a fighting stance. He let out a battle cry as his white aura flared to life, sparks running across his frame, and supercharging the air around him. "I'd like to see you try" he said, his face hardening.

There was no room for holding back now. He had to let his Ultimate power fly and end things before they got even more out of hand.

With twin roars, Bojack and Kogu shot at Gohan, and upon reaching his cap, Gohan rose to meet them.

* * *

 **Otherworld**

* * *

Goku darted backwards, narrowly avoiding a disc of energy that cut through the air, reality itself bending around it. Although he avoided a flesh wound, one of his comically large locks of hair floated to the ground, shrinking and fading to black.

He was panting. He was dead, yet he was panting. He was thankful that the fight had been taking place down in Hell, he wasn't sure he could handle it half as well if the fight had been dragged into the outer worlds. At least on this side of reality, Super Saiyan 3 was easy enough to keep going.

Too bad it wasn't enough…

He felt a sudden appearance of disturbingly dark ki behind him, and spun around, fist cracking across the bony red jaw of the demon he was locked in combat with. The demon's head snapped to the side as he was knocked to the ground, but it didn't keep him down. Nothing did.

Even in the face of mortal peril, Goku couldn't help letting out a small chuckle. "And to think, only a little bit ago, you were a big, fat, yellow baby" he huffed. "Even then, you were powerful enough that you could have given Buu a run for his money. Now…"

He locked eyes with the demon, who had paused as Goku made his speech. His actions betrayed the idea that he was any more intelligent than the final Kid Buu had been, but his eyes had a depth to them that suggested much more.

He cracked a grin. "You're probably the best opponent I've ever had, Janemba. Buu might have been stronger when he absorbed my friends and family, but you've got so many abilities that I never thought existed!"

Janemba cracked an evil grin as Goku complimented him. His tail curled up, and whipped the ground, sending up a spray of shrapnel. "GRAHAHAHAHAH" Janemba cackled, apparently pleased with himself.

Goku lost the amused expression, donning his serious face once again. " _I don't know how much longer I can keep going. I'm lucky to have survived this long. As much as I hate to admit it, I could really use Pikkon to hurry it up out there."_ He looked at his clenched fist, and an echoing roar rumbled the back of his mind. " _If I could land it, I might be able to destroy Janemba, but it's no good. He's too fast, and between that and his warping, he'd dodge it, and I'd be a sitting duck."_

He got back into a fighting stance as Janemba appeared to grow bored of the standing around. " _None of the techniques I've developed in Otherworld would work against this guy. He's too… weird."_ He sighed. " _But maybe… One of them could buy some time?"_

Staring at Janemba, Goku let out an extremely deep breath, and his body relaxed. It was as if the floodgates had shut, and the massive source of power flowing into his body vanished. His hair retracted, fading to black. As soon as his locks had darkened however, he let out a shout, and his hair spiked back up once again, electricity arcing across his frame as he reached the Ascended state.

Janemba cocked his head at him, and Goku felt scrutinized. Janemba noticed how much weaker he was now, and was likely confused.

And that's what he needed to capitalize on.

He let out a roar that shook the heavens as his entire vision flashed crimson. The ground beneath was completely eradicated by his power output. "Super Saiyan Three is still too much of a strain to risk it, even here, but Two can handle it just fine!" he shouted at the demon. " _I can't risk going too high, but I can at least go high enough that I can get an edge on Super Saiyan 3."_

Janemba roared and charged him, arm back in waiting to connect with the Saiyan, only for his target to vanish. Janemba slowed as Goku appeared behind him, almost as if dropping out of hyperspace, and delivered a fierce kick to Janemba's spine. The demon jolted and swung around, ready to swat Goku like a fly, but Goku backpedaled at high speed, placing some distance between the two of them before thrusting his arm forward and unleashing a high velocity blast. It was fast, and focused, and with Janemba mid swing, he didn't have a chance to portal this one away, letting it pierce his stomach.

The purple skeletal armor shattered as the blast exited Janemba's back. Goku dropped the Kaioken as he landed, knowing he needed to conserve his energy. He wasn't terribly hopeful, but it was annoying nonetheless when Janemba's wound closed itself. Even the armor regenerated over it.

" _He was born by Buu's spirit, he had to be able to regenerate…"_ Goku groaned. After facing all his enemies in the second half of his life, Frieza and his being able to survive almost anything, Cell's growing back and wounds he was given, and Buu's practical immortality from his bubblegum-like body… He was starting to get really sick of regeneration.

Janemba ground his teeth as he stared Goku down. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he roared, purple aura exploding outwards. Goku staggered backwards as somehow, Janemba's power shot even higher, stunning Goku. " _Well, he's obviously inherited Buu's ability to hide his true power"_ he realized.

Janemba began to split apart, disappearing as his form became a sparse cloud of particles. Not willing to fall for the trick this time, Goku shot back up to Kaioken x4, his senses sharpening as the violent hue overtook his body, and sensed the movement behind him. He swung around, ready to unleash another blast into the demon, but it met nothing but empty air. In the same motion of him throwing the blast, Janemba reassembled right beside him, forming in the corner of his vision.

Time seemed to slow down as Goku turned to look at the demon, who had that same look of dark satisfaction as he often wore. The final piece attached itself to Janemba, and he opened his mouth, erratic green energy forming in it. Goku didn't have the time to react as Janemba unleashed a torrent of energy from his mouth, completely overtaking the Saiyan in a searing flash. If it hadn't been for the added force of the Kaioken, things might have ended right there.

As Goku fell to the ground, the red aura faded, and his hair softened, dropping from the ascended state to a base Super Saiyan. With a rough groan, he fought to spring back to his feet before Janemba could do anything to follow up.

He dropped into a fighting stance once again. With his spirit body, he could recover from the damage and injuries he had sustained far faster than normal. But it would still take time, time which he didn't have with his current opponent.

"GOKU!" he heard a voice roar his name.

He glanced up in time to see a powerful sphere of green energy get flung down at Janemba, covering the demon in a cloud of smoke and fire, and the pained grunt that rang out told that it had met its mark. Dropping down beside him, Pikkon put his guard up. "How's the situation? I don't suppose you're at your first level because that's all you need to us here?"

"Heh heh, sorry, but nope" Goku chuckled nervously. "This guy's really been running me through the wringer, I'll be lucky if I can make it back to the ascended state soon enough to matter."

Pikkon huffed. "Well that's a good deal less than I was hoping for" he muttered. "If he's strong enough to defeat you at Super Saiyan 3, then we might really have our work cut out for us."

"Yeah, I know what you mean" Goku said. "I tried using the Super Kaioken at Super Saiyan 2 to conserve energy, but it didn't really work. I thought if I just accessed the power in bursts I'd be able to last longer, since Super Saiyan 2 is easier to hold, but I guess I was wrong."

"Nothing's ever certain against an enemy like this" Pikkon said as the smoke began to clear, Janemba becoming visible once again. "I'm open to ideas, though, you probably have more of an idea of what he can do than I do."

"Heh heh, nope, I'm about as out of ideas as I am out of power" Goku laughed weakly. His laughter halted abruptly, however, as he saw Janemba reach down and grab a fragment of shattered stone from the ground. "Uh oh…"

Pikkon glanced confusedly at him, and Goku grabbed his shoulder suddenly. "We need to move!" he shouted, bringing his other hand to his forehead.

Goku searched for an energy to lock onto to get them out of there. Luckily, Hell was full of residual spiritual energy. With a quick motion, he and Pikkon disappeared instantly. The last Goku saw of Janemba was the stone in his hand morphing in his grasp.

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

Gohan leaned backwards as Kogu charged him again, sword in front as he attempted to run him through. Bracing himself with his good hand, he kicked his legs up and locked the blade in a scissorhold. He twisted, slamming one foot into Kogu's face, sending the Hera reeling, and yanking the sword from his grasp.

Bojack was almost on top of him. He completed his flip, grabbing the sword and channeling energy into it. He never got a chance to try the Z-Sword in combat, but back during Cell's appearance, the Trunks from the future had given him some tips on swordsmanship.

" _Even tempered steel is nothing compared to the levels we move at"_ he had said. " _So normally, you'd be hard pressed to cut anyone like us with it, and it could be broken pretty easily."_

" _So how come you used a sword to fight the Androids?"_ Gohan had asked.

" _There's a trick to using a weapon like that"_ Trunks had responded. " _A sword is nothing compared to a fighter's energy. So to use it, you have to treat it as an extension of yourself, and that includes channeling your energy through it. It becomes a part of you, it's slices and durability just as powerful as your own blows and stamina."_

With his recent appreciation for swordsmanship, Gohan wasted no time channeling his ki into the blade, and raised to meet Bojack's attack. The massive fighter didn't react soon enough, as the cold blade sliced upwards, cutting right through his descending fist. There was a spray of fluid as Bojack roared in pain, clutching his hand as it split down the middle.

He didn't have time to grieve, however, as Gohan sank his foot into his stomach in a powerful side kick, sending the space pirate reeling as Kogu came charging back in.

He didn't hesitate to point the blade at Kogu. He channeled a massive upheaval of energy into the blade, and it shot out the end like a cannon, a piercing energy blast that punched right through Kogu, the light leaving the Hera's eyes almost immediately. He tossed the blade up to give himself time to destroy his body completely with a larger energy blast, catching it as it fell back into his grasp.

With the lesser of the two down, Gohan turned to focus solely on Bojack, who appeared absolutely livid as his hand continued to bleed. He turned towards Gohan, seething. "BOY, DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST WORDS TO SAY BEFORE YOU DIE?!" he bellowed with rage, good hand forming a massive sphere of green energy, jumping high into the air and bringing it back

"This sounds familiar" Gohan chuckled, thrusting the sword into the ground to free his hand again. "Actually, Bojack, there's one that comes to mind!"

Reaching back, Gohan filled his hand with a violent blueish-white energy. "KAMEHAMEHA!" he roared, firing a powerful one-handed version of the ultimate technique of the Turtle School in sync with the release of Bojack's attack, firing the blast up into the sky.

Unlike last time, the attacks did not clash. Gohan's Kamehameha Wave completely overpowered Bojack's attack, leaving the wounded Hera stunned as his attack was brushed aside like it was nothing. "No, NO!" he roared, holding his hands out in an attempt to stop the wave. His cry echoed through the sky, coming to a stop as the wave shot into the atmosphere, and his energy signal disappeared completely.

Gohan cut off the flow of energy into the attack and lowered his hand, panting slightly. " _It's a real pain fighting with only one arm"_ he realized. " _I wonder how my future counterpart managed to do it as long as he did."_

As his battle quieted, he looked down the street, and was quite surprised to find the trail of corpses leading to the battle, which at this point, seemed to only consist of Dabura, Frieza, and another that Gohan could almost have mistaken for Cooler in his fourth form. He appeared similar to Frieza, albeit having a larger and bulkier build, as well as purple skin covered in white bio-armor. He realized with a start that this must have been King Cold's true form. The power radiating off of him was immense for what he had come to expect from the Arcosians, but all the same, Dabura did not seem to have any trouble dealing with them.

Dabura released a blast of crackling black and red energy again, sending Cold crashing through a building, while Frieza took advantage of the moment to wrap his tail around Dabura's arm, restraining him while he raised his hand to prepare a Death Ball. Almost nonchalantly, Dabura spun his sword in his hand, severing Frieza's tail, the part wrapped around him flopping to the ground as Frieza cried out, the charge in the Death Ball, as little as it had been, vanishing. Taking advantage of Frieza's distraction, Dabura puckered his lips and spat at Frieza. The effects were instantaneous as Frieza's body began to become granite, freezing into a gray mold of the former emperor.

Cold came charging back out, light trailing along his fingers as he unleashed a massive barrage of Death Beams towards the demon king, who batted them away without effort and drew the Arcosian up short as he leveled his sword against his neck. Cold's eyes bulged as he realized he was trapped, and he looked up into Dabura's cruel snakelike orbs.

Dark flames began to lick down Dabura's arms, and he smirked at Cold. "From one king to another, well done" he said simply.

Cold looked furious and frightened, but after a moment, he let out a deep breath. The streets were quiet, as he muttered his response. "Well done indeed…" he spoke softly.

Dabura raised his other hand, gathering the blast in it. "Now, return to your rest" he said, and unleashed the evil energy, finishing off the final warrior. He dropped his sword, and the blade evaporated in a flurry of black flames. He took a glance at Gohan, then eyed the corpses lining the street. He waved his hand, and they too disappeared in a dark inferno.

Gohan and Dabura walked towards each other, meeting halfway in the street. "So, is that all of them?" Gohan asked.

Dabura closed his eyes for a moment, and Gohan saw a faint red glow appear around him. He opened his eyes, nodding. "Yes, all those who had escaped Hell are rightfully back. The only presences remaining in the city are a few humans, including some rather powerful ones."

"Probably Krillin" Gohan determined. "He and 18 were making sure everyone got out of the city safely while they took down all of the soldiers." He closed his eyes and stretched out his ki sense as far as it would go. He could feel Krillin moving towards them, and a few scattered humans throughout the city. None of them appeared to be fading, at which he drew a breath of relief. It hitched, however, when he picked up on a pair of signals not two blocks down from them. He froze. They felt _very_ familiar.

"Are you picking up on something?" Dabura questioned.

Gohan took a glance at the demon. "No… nothing threatening anyways" he said.

" _Not threatening in the grand scheme, anyways"_ he realized. " _But I'm screwed!"_ Unless his senses were absolutely fried, there was no mistaking the two down the street as a pair that he spent five days a week sitting next to. And what's worse, the closest thing he had to a disguise on him was his tunic and cape, but that didn't do him much good.

" _Absolutely boned…"_

"HEEEEEEY, GOHAN!"

Gohan looked upwards, and despite himself, let a small smile creep onto his face as the pair descended from the sky. Krillin and 18 touched down about ten feet away, on the edge of a crater made from… someone's blast. There had been too much going on to know who.

Krillin started as he realized who Gohan was standing next to. "D-Dabura?!" he yelped.

"Calm down, Krillin, he's… alright now" Gohan said, trying to soothe the former monk. To his surprise, Krillin dropped the tension rather quickly, but he still eyed Dabura cautiously. Not that he could blame him. Krillin had spent the majority of a day as a statue thanks to Dabura before.

18 strode forward, glancing up and down the street. "Rather impressive that this is all the damage done, considering what went on here" she commented in her usual monotone voice. "I sensed Cell, among others. I expected this area to be nothing but rubble."

"Yeah, buddy, you did pretty well. Heck, I think things might only take a couple weeks to repair around here" Krillin agreed.

"Well, it wasn't just me, Dabura helped out a good bit too" Gohan admitted. "Cell might have been trouble without him." The mention of Cell caused a bit of frustration to flash through Gohan, and he felt the fabric of his cape twitch.

Krillin noticed the small movement, and gaped as he looked toward it. "Gohan, is that your tail?!" he asked.

Gohan looked down as the furry brown appendage wound about, almost snakelike. "Yeah, Turles showed up too, and he figured out a way to get my tail to grow back. They needed an edge on me, and suffice to say, they got one" he jerked his head towards his left arm as he finished.

Krillin let out a breath. "Ouch, that looks like it hurts" he said, looking through his pocket.

"My arm's pretty much useless for now, but it hurts a little less than it did" Gohan said, watching Krillin. "Hey, what are you…"

"Ah, here!" he said, pulling out a tiny green object. "Here, catch Gohan!" he said, tossing it over.

Gohan quickly reached out to grab the object before it hit the ground. He looked at it in his hands, and raised his eyebrows. "A senzu bean?" he asked. "I thought we used up Korrin's entire stock against Buu?"

Krillin shrugged. "I found a couple stashed in one of my old gi" he said. "It's pretty old, so it might not put you back in your prime, but I bet it can give you a pep up and get your arm working again."

Gohan grinned. "Wow, thanks Krillin, you really are a lifesaver."

Krillin rubbed the back of his head. "Oh? Says the galaxy-level Saiyan. Honestly, I'm just glad I have something I'm good at. I only had that one around because I've been keeping a couple on me in case any of my fellow officers get shot while we're on duty."

"Don't write yourself off, we wouldn't have lasted without you around, and not just for the beans" Gohan chuckled, popping said bean in his mouth and biting down. Almost immediately after swallowing, he felt energy flow through his veins. The soreness in his limbs faded to the background, his headache vanished, and he felt the burnt flesh in his shoulder begin to move. Connections re-established themselves, and feeling flooded back into his limp hand. Looking down, he made to close his fist…

And it responded. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah, that's thousands of times better" he said gratefully. "Thanks Krillin."

"Hey man, I ought to be thanking you. You're probably the only person on the planet who could have taken on all these guys and live to talk about it" Krillin shrugged. He glanced at Dabura. "I mean, I say live, and I mean-"

"I understand" Dabura said, corner of his lips twitching.

"Speaking of which…" Gohan said, glancing towards Dabura. "Wouldn't you have to get back to Otherworld now? I mean, everyone is defeated, and, no offense, I doubt Yemma worked out a deal to give you live in exchange for rounding up a few hellraisers."

Dabura's eyes hardened slightly, but Gohan got the feeling that it wasn't directed at him. "Oh, I'm returning to Otherworld, alright, but how I get there is another matter entirely."

Gohan raised his eyebrows, and from a glance, could tell that Krillin was just as confused as him. 18 was looking off to the side uninterestedly. "Care to elaborate, big guy?" he asked.

Dabura gestured around. "You are no fool, Gohan, I assume you can still sense the dimensional distortions present?" At Gohan's nod, he continued. "They continue to exist because they are being maintained by their creator. A demon who surpasses even myself."

"Wait, is that the benefactor or whatever Cell and everyone were mentioning?" Gohan asked.

"I would assume so" Dabura nodded. "You'd be surprised how much more you can glean on a situation up in the Otherworld as opposed to down in Hell." He closed his eyes. "You know of the Soul Cleansing Machine?"

"A little bit" Gohan admitted. "Spirits who arrive in Otherworld that either don't keep their bodies or are going to Hell get sent through it to remove all evil from their soul. Doesn't seem to change their personality at all though…"

"No, all it does is undo the damage done to the soul by past misdeeds so that they can remain intact longer" Dabura clarified. "Today, however, was the day that Majin Buu was scheduled for his run through the Soul Cleansing Machine. Things were… less than what they had hoped for."

"Something went wrong?" Gohan took a stab at.

"His soul was too evil, far more so than they expected. Upon going through the machine, it overloaded, and the pure, concentrated evil of Majin Buu's soul escaped. It congealed with multiple millenia of evil soul siphon, before preying on one of Otherworld's ogre's for a host body. The result…" he sighed. "Such a force of pure, unrestrained evil, it's something I've never seen in my long rule over the Demon Realm."

"The creature calls itself Janemba" Dabura said. The name sent chills down Gohan's spine, though he didn't know why. "An amalgamation of evil across time. Besides immense power, this being has such an acute sense of reality manipulation unlike anything I've ever seen. The creature's mere existence is what locked off the Check-In Station. I was made aware that he transformed further and gained more power, not long after he began fighting your father."

"Wait, Goku's fighting this thing all alone?" Krillin asked.

"The being created spatial rifts that allowed the spirits residing in Hell passage into the world. If left unchecked, the universe could potentially implode on itself. The Saiyan is the only fighter anywhere near his caliber in Otherworld!"

"But why are you here then?" Gohan asked. "Shouldn't you be going to fight Janemba?"

"Your father has support on that side. Yemma assigned me to be the last line of defense" Dabura explained. "He predicts that if Janemba manages to finish your father, or perhaps even beforehand, Janemba will break for the real world himself. I'm here to make sure he does not advance any further than he can."

Gohan swung his arm viciously. "But you don't get it! If my father dies, then his soul will be scattered! Nothing can be done to bring him back! We can't let it get to that point, we have to go help!"

"The rifts work one-way, Gohan. We can't enter Hell through them, they only serve as gateways from the side Janemba resides. Your only ticket in would be suicide, and if he were to make his escape once you arrived, you'd be trapped!"

Gohan grit his teeth, but try as he might, he couldn't come up with a reasonable counter to Dabura's argument. "Then what, we're supposed to sit on our asses while my father fights for his life and hope that he wins or Janemba decides not to finish him?!" He threw his hands up. "I know my father, he's an amazing warrior, but if this Janemba is even as strong as the Majin Buu we have right now, my father likely is running on empty, especially if he's been needing to fight at the third level."

"Gohan, calm yourself" Dabura said sharply. "As much as you detest it, there is nothing we can do except wait. As I said, your father is not alone, and he stands a better chance at victory than you realize."

Gohan gave Dabura a serious look, before dropping it. "Fine, I guess we're waiting to see here" he conceded. He glanced sideways to Krillin. "Hey, Krillin, do you think you could help me with something?"

"Huh?" Krillin asked. "Uh, yeah, what is it buddy?"

Gohan felt the settling dread again, and walked over to Krillin. "Do you feel that over there?" he muttered, jerking his head back the other way.

Krillin raised an eyebrow and turned in the direction Gohan had gestured in. He looked thoughtful before blinking. "Wait, I recognize those two, aren't they… Wait, oh no…"

"Yeah…" Gohan groaned. "Listen, Krillin, do you think you can get them out of here fast? If this Janemba thing does arrive…"

"Yeah, I hear you" Krillin nodded. "I guess ground zero is still the worst place to be in the case of a universal threat. I'll get them out."

Gohan gave a weak smile in relief. "Thanks. And 18, you should go too."

18 looked like she was about to protest, but Gohan cut her off. "Just go with Krillin, get those two out of here, then go protect your daughter. Clear out the city if you can, but we can handle things here."

With a skeptical look, 18 huffed. "Fine… Krillin, let's go." Gohan might have imagined it, but the faintest of smiles might have played across her lips as she turned away. The couple took off down the street, leaving Gohan and Dabura standing among the rubble of the battleground.

Gohan grunted as he rotated his shoulder, feeling some major resistance doing it. "Not all the way…" he remembered. "Still, better than it hanging down useless again."

Dabura took a look at his arm. "The tissue has regrown, but it's not as stable as normal, it would appear" he analyzed. "As a demon, healing powers are sort of the opposite of what I deal in, so you'll have to pardon me for not being able to fix you up any better."

Gohan shrugged. "It's good enough to fight, and that's all that matters, right?" he asked.

Dabura nodded curtly, which satisfied Gohan. He took a glance over, and floated over to where he had been, picking up the sword from the ground. While he didn't exactly feel comfortable using the weapon of one of the Heras, the blade felt balanced in his grasp, and if this Janemba thing was as strong as he sounded, he could probably use the advantage of having it on hand.

Chills ran down his spine for a reason he could not tell. He turned towards Dabura, who seemed to be intently studying the empty air before him. There was an odd feel to it, and Gohan realized he had picked out one of the weaker rifts. Frowning, he strode back over, and tried to pick something out of the distorted space before them.

To his annoyance, the rift seemed to be unchanging. " _So why is Dabura so focused on it?"_

* * *

Krillin and 18 alighted down near the building, the two ki signals weak, but no weaker than an average human. One of them was stronger than normal, Krillin attributed it to Videl's presence. The girl was pretty tough for what she was.

Krillin took the lead and peaked inside the wreck. To be frank, the building didn't look like it should have been standing. The right angle and Krillin could see the sky up through the multiple stories of ceilings. "Hey, come on out, guys" he called in.

There was a yelp and some scuffled movement as the two popped up right in front of him. He recognized Videl. The other was a rather bulky blonde kid, who if he had to guess, was about the same age as her. He had seen him when he encountered the pair earlier while Frieza's soldiers were running through the city.

He immediately got 'the glare.' While Videl was fairly weak compared to him and his friends, she had a sharp look that she could bring out at any moment that would make his skin crawl. The only other women who could give him a look that cold were Bulma, and his wife.

"Officer Krillin?" she asked.

Krillin nodded. "Yeah, you've got it" he affirmed. "Come on, I'm here to get you and your friend out of here. We've got to move fas-"

"Hold up" Videl said, raising her hand. "What's going on out there?"

"Things are calm now, but they aren't going to stay that way for long" Krillin said briefly. He looked over his shoulder. "18, let's get them to safety."

The blonde android stepped into view, surprising the two occupants of the building. "A couple of teenagers?" she asked. With a huff, she shrugged. "Fine, let's get them out of here before this apparent shit hits the fan."

Videl shifted her gaze to the android. "What are you talking about? I'm not done here, I've got a job to do-"

"You're most certainly done" 18 cut her off. "Humans, especially young ones, have a tendency to jump into situations that they cannot comprehend. I recommend you trust us when we say this is about as incomprehensible to you as it can get. Now unless you're willing to be a sacrificial lamb and join all the monsters that were just here in the afterlife, I suggest you come with us."

Though 18 rarely broke her cold monotone, there was a light undertone of force behind it this time, one that left no room for debate, only for compliance. 18 extended her hand and unleashed a focused ray of energy that destroyed the rubble between the teens and them.

Krillin immediately froze at her action. " _Uh-oh, this can't end well…"_

Sure enough, Videl and Sharpner's jaws dropped as 18 blasted away the obstruction. 18 seemed oblivious to their reactions as she waved them outside. "It's time to move, kids" she said. "I've got a child of my own waiting for me, I'd rather get you two out of the way as soon as possible."

* * *

Videl watched as the debris of the building were incinerated. Nothing was left besides a few scraps of stone and scorch marks on the ground. " _A… a trick?"_

She didn't know what to think anymore. Between getting definitive confirmation that Gohan was Saiyaman, watching him fight _Cell_ , and seeing a massive array of light shows all the while, her world was twisting and shifting beneath her feet. She felt the same heat emanating off of the beam that this '18' lady was using as she felt not to long ago, when she went up against Mercenary Tao. Only this time, the laser didn't come from a barrel that could easily have been a weapon itself. This one came straight from the air in front of her hands.

The time they spent in the building, the events they had witnessed, had tested her resolve as to whether these light shows were tricks or not, but this was the second time she had seen them up close and personal, and the only time she was able to witness their effects with her own eyes. Saiyama- " _No, Gohan"_ had stopped Tao's blast with nothing more than a cloud of smoke resulting.

"Any day now" 18's voice commanded.

She found herself jolted into moving. Her and Sharpner emerged from the cover of the building, and she immediately found her arm gripped by the imposing woman. She started and pulled away, but she wasn't able to budge a single inch out of her grip. "Grab the boy, Krillin" she said, pulling Videl up and carrying her on her back. "My advice? Hold on."

"Hold on?" Videl asked. She didn't have a moment to contemplate the meaning, she was busy wondering why this 18 thought a piggyback ride would be faster than finding the bike they got here on, when suddenly the air slapped her face, and the ground began to rapidly grow distant.

She yelped as they ascended into the sky, hovering just below the cloud layer. If Videl didn't have such a tight grip on 18, she could probably have reached up and brushed the clouds. She looked down, heart thumping in her chest as Krillin rose up beside them, Sharpner on his back. The blonde teen locked eyes with her, and gulped audibly. "Videl, I'm freaking out a bit" he admitted.

" _You and me both!"_ she wanted to shout out, but she knew how to keep herself better composed than that. "You guys care to explain what's going on?" she demanded of the couple. "Why… I mean, how are we flying?!"

18 craned her neck back to look at her passenger. "Want the long winded explanation of all the in-depth insight into our flight, or will you accept that we just can?" As Videl opened her mouth, 18 cut her off. "Just know that whatever you choose, I'm going with the latter." She closed her mouth with a look of annoyance on her face. "Good, now that that's settled, we can-"

The air around them shifted. Not just a breeze, no, it felt like reality was folding in on itself, twisting and distorting, compressing and expanding, over and over. With it, a sense of overwhelming darkness entered the field of the two's senses.

18 felt her blood run cold. Neither Cell nor Majin Buu had had this feeling of pure black energy to them. Whatever had just happened, whatever monster had just shown up…

"Krillin, we need to move!" she shouted.

Her husband's face had paled considerably, and she knew that he felt the same as her. With a shaky nod, he gripped his passenger tightly, and the two flared their energies high. Making sure her own occupant was secure, the two of them took off in a flashing light of white aura. They needed to get the HFIL out of dodge.

* * *

 **Otherworld**

* * *

"So you ran because he grabbed a rock?"

"I mean, yeah, I guess that's one way to sum it up" Goku admitted. "But he turned a little toy club into a sword that cut through everything, I didn't want to chance it."

Pikkon blanched. "So, bug men, bubblegum monsters… are we ever going to get someone here that isn't completely ridiculous?"

"Don't ask me, ridiculous things have a way of finding me" Goku chuckled. "That's most of the reason I stayed dead as long as I did."

Pikkon chuckled along with Goku before donning his serious mask again. "So, any ideas on how to beat this thing?"

Goku crossed his arms contemplatively. "I'm not sure, to be honest" he admitted. "Janemba can regenerate, but I haven't been able to tell to what extent. Maybe he can regenerate as much as Buu, maybe even less than Cell. But the tough part is even hitting him to gauge it." He huffed. "He can create portals to send your attacks through, and he can move in and out of reality. He can dodge or push anything you toss at him right back at you. I learned that the hard way with one of my Kamehamehas."

"So the bad news is that this sucker is immortal and can move anything anywhere" Pikkon huffed. "I don't suppose you have any weaknesses scoped out?"

"Besides the fact that he's not that smart?" Goku asked. "Heh heh, nope, sorry, this guy's more than a little tricky."

"Why am I not surprised?" Pikkon grumbled. "I might have something, but I don't know how much usage it'll have here."

"What? How do you already know something about him?" Goku asked. "You haven't really fought him yet."

"Call it a hunch" Pikkon replied. "As ridiculous as it sounds, just try to-" he turned his head in tandem with Goku as a storm of shining white blades flew at them.

There was no time to finish talking as both of the Otherworld's finest warriors took to the skies to avoid the dagger-like attacks. "Looks like he found us" Goku scowled.

Janemba stood down in the barren wasteland, a feral grin etched into his face as he retracted his index finger. Goku took a deep breath and powered up to the second level. Their brief reprieve had given him that much time to recover. Pikkon flared his power beside him. Green and yellow auras clashing, the two stared down the demon as he strolled towards them.

Pikkon chanced a glance at Goku. "Hey, I may have a way to create an opening. But when I do, you need to take full advantage of it and hit him with all you've got."

Goku glanced at him. "What opening?" he asked.

"You'll know it when you see it" Pikkon said. "For now, LET'S GO!"

Pikkon dashed to the left, Goku circling around the other side. Pikkon gathered an orb of explosive energy before chucking it at the ground near Janemba's feet. Simultaneously, Goku vanished, reappearing next to Janemba and lashing out, trying to sweep him off his feet.

Goku's leg met nothing but air, as Janemba's form scattered in a pixelated cloud. Pikkon's blast impacted the ground, sending up a cloud of smoke. It wasn't meant to do much damage, but it did send Goku reeling from the force of the explosion.

Janemba appeared some ways away, mouth open and light leaking out. With a gasp, Goku raised his finger to his forehead once again, vanishing just before Janemba's massive mouth blast detonated where he stood. Popping back in right next to the demon as the beam faded, Goku's aura flared crimson as he struck out, managing to connect a blow to the side of Janemba's face, knocking his head back. Capitalizing on the attack, Goku sunk his foot into Janemba's torso, and as he hunched over from the impact, stuck his hands out and unleashed a wave of energy, washing over the demon. There was a deep grunt as he reeled, and Goku felt the satisfaction of landing a solid attack.

But when the dust cleared, Janemba looked annoyed, but not very damaged. With a roar, he charged Goku at lightning speeds, the air around him bending as he accelerated.

Goku planted his feet in the ground and braced himself. His aura shot even higher as he tapped into Kaioken x4 once again, and his hand shot up to meet Janemba head on. The two blows clashed furiously, sparks flying between the forces. With a shout, Goku rose another level, pain shooting down his leg as he brought himself to Kaioken x5. The surge of strength allowed him to bat Janemba aside and land another side blow directly into Janemba's chestplate, sending the demon skidding back once again.

He let out a breath as the red aura faded. " _I can't keep the Kaioken up for long"_ he realized. It was still draining in Otherworld, and if he pushed things too far, he might not die from it, but the following vulnerability would make sure Janemba could take care of that.

Janemba stood a good twenty feet away from Goku, and while Goku was resting, Janemba's fist closed and reached back. Goku raised his eyebrows, and noticed too late as the air before Janemba began to distort and ripple.

He didn't have time to dodge as Janemba's fist shot forward, and struck him from behind, flooring him. Before he could recover, Janemba threw another punch, this one coming up from beneath him, striking him in the stomach and knocking him into the air, spittle trailing from Goku's mouth.

Goku's vision was a little hazy after being batted around, but his vision cleared as Janemba's hand appeared through another rift right in front of him, a dangerous looking blast in his hand. The blast shot at him from point blank range, but Goku managed to vanish from the spot just before it had released, making the blast sail into the distance, detonating and washing the area with heat.

Janemba looked disappointed that his last blast hadn't left the Saiyan a smoldering pile of flesh, but he wasn't given an extra moment to be so. There was a flash of light to the left, and a wall of fire came crashing down on the demon. Goku looked over and saw Pikkon's arms outstretched, posed in the middle of his Thunder Flash Attack. Goku charged his power as high as it would go, and brought the Kaioken back out in full force. Reaching x5, he cupped his hands, energy pooling into his hands almost instantly, before unleashing it with a bellowing "KAMEHAMEHA!"

The energy wave was massive, dwarfing Pikkon's attack as the two melded together in the center, forming a swirling, blazing ball of crackling energy. Goku grunted in pain as he kept up the attack, his nerves feeling as if they were being set ablaze as the Kaioken began to take its toll on his body. " _If we can just keep this up a little longer…"_

A terrifying roar sounded over the deafening noise of the blasts, a sound of pure rage. Goku's eyes widened as a he saw both blasts get pushed back by a spreading force emanating from the center. Reminded of Buu's Vice Shout, he tried his hardest to push back, but all he could manage was a stalemate between his and Pikkon's efforts. He tried to raise his power higher, but his body was already beginning to fall from the prolonged usage of the Kaioken x5, he couldn't manage a x6. He gritted his teeth and felt his power slipping…

"LIGHT GRENADE!"

From the direction neither his nor Pikkon's attacks were coming from, an overwhelmingly large blast came roaring over the commotion, slamming into the wall of force at a dead stop. Goku didn't recognize the attack, but he recognized the voice!

Even with the added force, however, Janemba's force was expanding still, pushing their attacks back. That is, until, Goku heard something he didn't expect to hear. With as much force as he could muster, Pikkon opened his mouth and bellowed. "DISGUSTING FREAK!"

To Goku's complete astonishment, the force Janemba was emitting buckled, and the three attacks sailed in and collided in the center. The energies fused together, pulsing and sparking violently, before there was a total detonation of the three, erupting skyward in a column of fire, and shredding the area, sending Goku flying back.

He force of the explosion made him black out for a brief moment, gasping as he came to. His power had dropped exponentially, and he felt weak. It took him a moment to gather that he had dropped out of his Super Saiyan form entirely, and he could barely stand as it was. His body felt as if it were torn apart, a sensation he hadn't felt since when Vegeta first arrived on Earth.

He turned his attention towards the now blackened and shattered area where they had been directing their attacks prior. Janemba kneeled in the center of the blast radius, and he finally seemed to have taken some major damage.

The majority of Janemba's body was seared. His armor had cracks running through in, and in some places, had broken off completely. A chunk seemed to be missing from his left arm, though he wasn't bleeding like a normal creature. One of his horns were missing completely, while the other had been shattered about halfway up.

There was a movement in the air, and a green-skinned fighter appeared next to Janemba, also sporting a crimson aura. But it wasn't Pikkon.

"Piccolo?!" Goku called out.

The Namekian didn't respond, but charged the demon and delivered a powerful blow to Janemba's already damaged torso, shattering another piece of the armor, some of the shards embedding themselves in both Janemba's and Piccolo's flesh, but if the Namekian felt the pain, he didn't show it as he relentlessly attacked the wounded demon.

Pikkon stood up a ways away and eyed the battle. Piccolo was landing multiple attacks, but Janemba was moving faster and faster all the time. He scowled, and took a deep breath. "MUTANT BASTARD!" he roared.

Janemba, who had been about to land a counter attack, staggered as if he had been struck physically, armor and skin cracking under the verbal assault. Never one to miss an opportunity when present, Piccolo's hand began crackling with energy. He forcefully struck Janemba's chest open handed, and a massive flash of light burst from Janemba's back.

Janemba sputtered and growled, clawing Piccolo across the face, and pushed himself away from the burning stream burning a hole through staggered backwards, and once again seemed to be in real pain.

Goku and Pikkon alighted beside Piccolo. The pair more recently from the living world took a glance at the long time resident. "So he's weak… to harsh words?" Piccolo asked incredulously. "I mean, my ears are sensitive and all, but insult him and he literally breaks down?"

"Strange, huh?" Pikkon admitted. "I got mad at the barrier and vented my frustrations, and surprisingly, the thing began chipping the moment that I said that I hated it."

"And you figured that if this thing is the reason for the barrier, he might share a similar weakness" Piccolo deduced. "Not bad. I've rarely met with so ridiculous a weakness as that, but at least it's something easily exploitable."

Janemba looked back and forth between them like a caged animal. With a growl, he launched himself at them once again, blasts collected in his hands.

Goku stepped forward. "HEY, YOU'RE ALMOST AS UGLY AS YOUR MOMMA!" he yelled.

Janemba started, falling down as the energy in his hands faded away.

Pikkon's aura began to swirl around him violently. "IDIOTIC BEAST!" he roared as his spun in a circle, and charged Janemba. The demon staggered at his words, and was blown away by the force of his Hyper Tornado impact.

"SORRY WASTE OF SPACE!" Piccolo bellowed as he thrust his fingers forward, unleashing a fast Special Beam Cannon, the deadly spiral beam drilling through the air and piercing Janemba's chest.

The demon fell backwards, low growl emanating from his chest as he collapsed on his hands and knees. Severely weakened, Pikkon raised his hands. "Come on, let's finish him while he's down!" he shouted, beginning the rapid series of fluid motions preceding his ultimate attack.

Piccolo and Goku took this as the signal. Goku gathered all the power he had remaining to bolster himself to Super Saiyan, while Piccolo pushed his hands together to prepare the condensed blast once more. Goku cupped his own as his side.

"Kaaaaa Meeeee…"

"Thunder…"

"Hrrrrrrrrr…"

Janemba looked up at the three warriors as the air became supercharged once again.

"Haaaaa Meeeee…"

"Flash…"

"RrrrrrrRRRRRRRAAAAAAAA"

The demon growled, and staggered to his feet, muscles tensed.

Goku thrust his hands forward. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

With a similar shoving motion, Piccolo unleashed his attack. "LIGHT GRENADE!"

The sparks trailing along Pikkon's body turned into burning strands of flames, and the flared towards his hands. "ATTACK!"

The two beam attacks swirled and merged together with the larger blast that had left Piccolo's hands, forming a deadly-looking amalgamation of burning orange, violent yellow, and calm blue, one massive fireball. The overwhelming energy engulfed Janemba's form, and the three warriors raised their hands to block themselves…

A reality shaking explosion rocked the desolate fields of Hell, the already hot air reaching bone-searing temperatures as the force of the blast ripped past them, trying to pick them up like a current. The ground beneath them disintegrated, what didn't completely vanish shattered and shifted beneath their feet.

It seemed like an eternity before the blaze faded, before the quaking quelled. One by one, the three warriors lowered their defense, and looked towards the glassy surface where the destruction had ceased…

No trace of the demon remained. Not a shard of his armor, not even a fingernail. Every trace of Janemba was gone.

"Did… we do it?" Goku asked, dropping to his base form once again.

Pikkon studied the area critically. "I believe so" he conceded. "It would appear that our combined strength was successful in destroying him." He took a glance to the newest member of the party. "Green skin, long ears, antenna?" he asked. "You must be Piccolo, Goku's told me a lot about you and your whole gang."

The Namekian nodded. "Yeah, though I appear to be at a disadvantage. Who are you?"

"The name's Pikkon" Pikkon introduced.

Goku grinned. "Yeah, he's been my rival ever since I got to Otherworld, and he's really good."

Pikkon chuckled. "Please, by the time you reached your ascended level, I was no match for you. When you reached the third, I was downgraded from rival to sparring partner."

Goku frowned. "Hey, don't beat yourself up like that." He raised his eyebrows. "Hey… what are you doing here, Piccolo?"

Piccolo scowled. "Does the halo not give it away?" he asked, jerking a thumb towards the floating ring above his head. "I lost in a battle on Earth, against Cell and the rest of them."

"Oh no, man, I wish I could have stopped them before they left" Goku deflated.

"It's fine" Piccolo grunted. "Gohan finished them off. Yemma had them in holding up above so that they wouldn't come back down and interfere, which I daresay we should leave before they get released back down here."

Goku blanched. "Probably a good idea" he admitted. "I'm a little too tired to deal with Frieza or Cell right now."

"Well, let's head back to Grand Kai's Planet and catch one of those showers" Pikkon chuckled. "I daresay that after finishing that creature off, we deserve it!"

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

With a grunt, Gohan rotated his arm again, trying to extend the range of motion that he had. "Do you really think this Janemba thing is going to come?" he asked.

Dabura kept peering into the rift, as he had done since the old battle ended. And as such, gave no answer to the young Saiyan. Gohan huffed in annoyance. "Can't you tear your attention away from that thing for even a moment?" he asked.

To his surprise, the Demon King twitched, and tore his gaze away from the distortion before him. Gohan tensed. "What is it?"

Dabura blinked, and turned his gaze to Gohan. "Well, it would appear that for once in my extremely long life, I am the bearer of fortunate news" he said. "Your father, his ally, and the Namekian were able to slay the demon."

It took a moment for the words to register to Gohan, but they sunk in. A grin broke out on his face. "They won?" Dabura's nod was all the confirmation he needed. "Alright!" he shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "Man, my dad's really great, Piccolo too, and whoever was fighting with them."

"And of course, this marks the end of my time in this plane" Dabura finished. He opened his palm, and the black flames spread outwards, condensing into the form of the demon sabre.

Gohan raised his eyebrows, and tensed. "Hey, why do you need that if you're going back to Otherworld?"

Dabura looked at him confusedly, then noticed his stance and laughed. "Oh, Gohan, this is my ticket back, of course!" he said.

"Your ticket back… Oh…" Gohan realized what Dabura was insinuating. "That's… gruesome, isn't it?"

Dabura shrugged, hefting the blade up. "Please, it'll be no worse than what I've done to countless civilizations. Besides, if I don't return, there are worse things awaiting me in the afterlife when I would return in the future."

Gohan grimaced. "I suppose…" he sighed. "When you put it that way, it makes sense, though it's still-"

Gohan's blood turned to ice, and he gasped. Shivers ran across his arms, and down his spine. His head jerked towards the rift that Dabura had been studying, and stumbled. Dabura had taken on a defensive stance of his own, and Gohan knew that he had felt it. A presence, one of overwhelming, inconceivable darkness.

The rift rippled, before being shredded open, reality itself splitting and vanishing, giving way to a dark void. The first thing Gohan saw within was a pair of deep, evil, yellow eyes, glinting menacingly within the blackness.

Then the creature emerged further into sight. Covered in scorched red skin, a shattered purple breastplate and helmet, and sporting several deep wounds, the creature grasped the edge of the rift, and pulled itself forward.

Even as it stepped through the portal, its damage appearance faded. The scorch marks along the red flesh vanished, leaving it healthy. The skeletal armor restored itself, and the evil yellow pits that formed the being's eyes sharpened to a deadly point. The dark aura leeching off of this thing grew tenfold, leaving Gohan feeling insignificant in comparison.

His body reflexively dropped into a defensive stance. "Dabura… what IS that thing?!"

Dabura stepped backwards, sword brandished, and face betraying pure fear. He swallowed, looking the demon head on. "Janemba…" he growled.

* * *

 **Worth the wait? I sure hope so. Things really heated up. I don't have much to say here, most of you can probably work out what happened for yourselves. I just hope you all enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Cybresamurai - I agree with you, but let me just say, it wouldn't fit with the events I have planned out for my story, not until after the ending.**

 **SuperAlex64 - well I'm glad I didn't disappoint you then, and hope I didn't now.**

 **TheRangerBoy - him turning a leaf is what actually happened in the anime, though it was more about Videl's love for Gohan rather than what I had to change it to be.**

 **Kaithelonechampion - Glad to hear you appreciate my concept of it, I really did put a lot of thought into how it could work. It kinda fits with most other instances of tails regrowing, short of Goku in GT (but even then, it matches with it happening with his kid body).**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - don't worry, I didn't completely ditch her**

 **Iikd - Up until this point, going out to destroy them would have just resulted in them returning and him just losing power. Hopefully you got more of the action you were looking for this time.**

 **0 Jordinio 0 - I'm glad you enjoyed it, though as I said, with my current outline for the story, there's no room for Super Saiyan 4 until after the fact. Remember, he can't become a Golden Oozaru right now, since he's locked out of Super Saiyan, which kind of locks him from the form. I also don't plan to extend into Super at the moment, though I've lightly toyed with the idea of a sequel at some point. I don't know whether it'll pan out or not though.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. I'd love to see you all drop a review on the way out, and happy anniversary to everyone who's stuck around with the story since the beginning!  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 - Hellbound**

* * *

Gohan's eyes traced the figure of the new arrival carefully, and a pit formed deep in his stomach as the details soaked in.

The demon was quite tall, easily the size Buu had been in his Super form. His skin was a dark, blood red, with a suit of pale purple skeletal armor adorned his form. A thick, powerful looking tail dragged along behind him, and out of his helmet, there were two curved horns, as sharp as daggers.

His yellow eyes were deep and cold, with small purple pupils. The depths within them displayed a raging madness and a cool intellect simultaneously. The demon's gaze, combined with his shadowy aura, had a way of making Gohan feel insignificant.

He gritted his teeth as a memory surfaced, a none too pleasant one. "I saw you before…" he realized.

Dabura chanced a glance at him. "Where could you have seen him? This demon was only born as of recently."

"I had a dream" Gohan said. "I was in this city, when it was torn apart, and I saw the silhouette of the creature responsible." He swallowed, maintaining a level head. "At the time, I thought it was just a stress dream. He has physical similarities to some of the enemies I've fought before, like Frieza, Cell, and Buu."

The horns and tail were definitely reminiscent of Frieza's second form. His size and body resembled Buu, while his stance and exoskeleton definitely reminded him of Cell's perfect form. "But now I see… somehow, I had a dream of this monster's coming."

Dabura frowned. "I don't see how that's poss-"

Janemba roared, startling the pair with a ferocious battlecry. A wicked purple aura flared up around him, lashing at the street and surrounding buildings, tearing the stone structures apart. As soon as he started, Janemba suddenly dashed from his spot, careening towards Dabura.

Gohan's body reacted before he did, as he leapt into action, white energy crackling around his body. "WATCH OUT, DABURA!" he roared, pushing the Demon King to the side, before raising his left arm to meet Janemba's attack.

The red fist of the demon connected with Gohan's guard, and he let out a pained growl as the impact strained the not-yet fully healed connections in his shoulder. Ignoring the pain, he went on the offensive, closing his better fist and striking out, landing a solid blow to Janemba's chestplate, sending the demon skidding backwards, a fracture running out of the point of impact in the bone-like chestplate.

A searing heat ran along Gohan's side as a wall of flames shot past him, washing over Janemba. Gohan turned back to see Dabura, lips puckered as he blew out his evil flames at full force. He jumped back, lining himself up beside the Demon King, removing himself from the trail of fire completely, before bringing his hands to his forehead, gathering energy rapidly. "MASENKOOOOO, HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The technique of the demon school combined with the demonic flames, forming an explosive core of energy that rocketed through the previous fire. Gohan felt the energy of the attack stop short, however, and the moment of confusion that followed placed him off guard as his own energy appeared behind him.

The explosive blast of fire slammed into their backs, sending the pair flying through the air. Dabura crashed through the upper levels of an office building, while Gohan landed hard in the street, wind knocked out of him. " _My own attack…?"_ he wondered.

The flames that remained in the air slowly dispersed, embers setting to the ground and licking the streets with their scarlet tongues. The smoke and heat was swept aside as Janemba emerged from the inferno, looking none the worse for wear. Although several meters away, the demon cocked his fist and reached back. The air rippled in front of Janemba, and as he threw his fist, it vanished within the miniature rift.

Gohan coughed up spit as the fist embedded itself in his stomach, having appeared a mere foot before him. He staggered back from the attack, and Janemba reached back again, with the other fist.

Recovering his wits as quickly as he could, Gohan braced himself, guard going up. There was a shift in the air to his right. He twisted as the next blow appeared, barely missing him, and he saw his chance. He grabbed the closed hand before it could retract back to its owner, and gave a mighty tug. Janemba jerked and vanished, appearing beside Gohan, connected to the grasped limb. "You're mine now!" he yelled, twisting and throwing the demon overhead, slamming him hard on the ground. Charging all the energy he could muster into his right arm, he followed him down, elbow crashing into the floored demon with massive force.

Channeling the remainder of his power into his other arm, he took aim and unleashed a torrent of heat from his palm. Allowing himself to limpen, the recoil of the blast pushed him away as he left Janemba in the middle of the flaming maelstrom. Planting hard in the ground, he came to a stop, slamming into the wall of a building. His shoulder made an unpleasant popping sound, but there was no sudden rush of pain or loss of function. " _Thank Kami for that senzu Krillin had on him"_ he silently thanked.

There was a crunch as a piece of stone fell to the ground and shattered. A glance up showed that Dabura had braced himself against the edge of the top floor of the building, cape in tatters, but his eyes just as grimly determined as ever. He held a hand outstretched, black flames spreading through his palm, congealing into a rather wickedly designed spear. "This is far from over, Gohan!" he called down.

With a nod, Gohan agreed. As much as he'd like to believe that his assault there had been enough to send the demon on a one way trip back to HFIL, it was nothing if not impossible. Already, he heard the angry roars from within the smokescreen his last attack had left. Roars and… a scraping sound?

There was a movement at the edge of the cloud, and Gohan noticed a flash of gray. He raised his hands, but realized that it was simply a fallen lamppost. He cocked an eyebrow in confusion, as a red hand retracted it, the dust around falling. Janemba looked at the broken structure with a maniacal grin upon his, and Gohan had no idea why.

It happened so fast, he almost missed it. The rather large streetlight, which was thicker than Janemba's arm, and almost twice as tall as the demon, changed rapidly, shrinking and transforming. The dull gray color of the main stem transformed into a sleek purple shaft, while the light shifted shape, becoming a blood red curved blade, honed to a deadly point.

In a matter of seconds, the lamppost had transformed from a useless, broke structure, to a demonic scythe within Janemba's grasp. Gohan gaped, not believing what he just witnessed. Janemba studied the weapon in his grasp, light catching the blade and making it appear even more evil than it already did.

The light caught on the weapon did catch on something else, glinting in the corner of Gohan's eye. Tracing it, his vision settled upon the form of Kogu's blade, lying in the street. " _The sword… if I can reach it, maybe it'll give me an edge."_ He didn't know how powerful of a weapon Janemba had just created, and frankly, he didn't want to find out. But like it or not, he was about it, it every advantage he could have when it happened was one he wanted to have.

He tensed, willing his energy to gather in his legs. " _If I can just reach it before Janemba goes on the offensive, I should be able to-"_

The blade cut through the air, a ribbon of purple energy forming along the blade's path, and flashed across the empty reality between the two of them. Gohan leaned back, barely avoiding the energy wave that the scythe had created. At least, he almost avoided it. A lock of his own jet-black hair fluttered down before his vision, as he felt the attack brush by.

He stood back up, heart pounded. " _That's no normal attack"_ he realized with a grim sensation. The wave hadn't been making to cut his body. It had been on course to sever through his _existence!_ It didn't split his hair, it spliced the reality between the two points that existed in his hair, separating them as a byproduct.

He stumbled backwards. "How… How do I counter something like that?" he gasped aloud. An attack on that level, above reality itself, there was no stopping it. And if there was, Janemba wasn't going to give him the time to figure it out, as the scythe was swung again, another ribbon of energy slicing through reality on a crash course to the young demi-Saiyan.

* * *

 **Hell**

* * *

"I don't like this" Pikkon murmured.

Piccolo gave a curt nod of acknowledgement. "Agreed, this is putting me on edge."

"..."

Pikkon wheeled around. "Alright Goku, why are you so silent? I've known you for 7 years, and you've never been this quiet."

"I've known him practically since I was born and I have to agree" Piccolo frowned.

Goku, in an odd picture, had stuck a thoughtful pose as they ascended out of Hell. The trip was long, as they were literally travelling between realms. Brow furrowing, Goku uncrossed, and looked sideways at the green duo besides him. "I dunno, didn't that feel too easy to you guys?" he asked.

Pikkon blanched. "Uh, Goku, that thing had us all an inch from death… and we're _already_ dead. What were you looking for, a glimpse at what lies beyond the afterlife?"

Goku shook his head. "Something's just not sitting right with me" he muttered. "I dunno, but Janemba… he was able to regenerate almost as well as Buu was. How did we manage to take him out with our attacks like that?"

"Those were three extremely potent attacks, Goku, and he was weakened when he received them" Piccolo pointed out. "I'm not sure all that the monster was capable of, but I'd say that combined with the fact that his energy completely disappeared afterwards…"

"Hold up, Piccolo…" Pikkon murmured. His face scrunched as he looked downwards. "Those glass-like structures, they were tied to Janemba. I figured out his weakness through them, and they persisted through his influence."

"You mean those jelly bean things?" Goku asked.

"Whatever those are, yeah, I guess" Pikkon nodded. "They were sort of bubbles of his reality distortion, if I had to guess. Without his effect on this place, theoretically, they should have all vanished upon his defeat." Pikkon growled. "The way I see it, there are two possibilities, each with major problems attached to them. One, Janemba's damage to the fabric of reality isn't directly tied to his influence, meaning the universe could potentially be permanently altered-"

"Already leaning towards the second option" Piccolo admitted hesitantly.

Pikkon grimaced. "Which, of course, is that Goku's hunch is right, and that Janemba hasn't truly been defeated. He's either masking his energy, or fled somewhere else."

"Janemba wasn't really smart, kinda like Kid Buu was" Goku noted. "I don't think he'd know to mask his energy until he was rested."

"Then I don't understand. Where could he have fled to that's so far away we wouldn't be able to sense him?" Piccolo asked. "An energy that massive and evil would have to practically be-"

Goku paled. "EARTH!" he shouted, earning shocked glances from the other two around him. "Janemba was able to send everyone else in Hell back into the living world, why couldn't he go there too?"

Piccolo's face betrayed worry. "And last I saw, Gohan was on the frontline of the biggest access points to the planet" he said.

Pikkon and Piccolo were nearly blown away as Goku jumped into his Super Saiyan state. Donning a mask of seriousness, he glared at the two beside him. "Grab on. We have to move fast, we're still too far down for me to get a read on Kibito Kai."

"Kibito… the Supreme Kai?" Pikkon asked.

"He's the only one I can think of to get us to Earth right now, but we're too far away for me to use my Instant Transmission to get there" Goku said. "There's no time to lose, grab on tight!"

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

"NOW!"

Ducking underneath another of Janemba's reality cutting attacks, Gohan rocketed forward, planting a solid blow into his chest plate, shattering the material at the point of impact with a focused power attack. Janemba roared in apparent pain, staggered by the force of the blow.

" _It's now or never!"_ Gohan thought grimly, ki flooding into his leg, and he wheeled around with a roundhouse kick. However, rather than aim at Janemba, he brought his leg down through the scythe the demon had created. It was a sturdy weapon, but the power Gohan brought down on the weapon caused it to shatter in a blinding explosion of purple energy, zapping the area around them and blowing Gohan away, the odd electricity-like energy running across his body.

A heatwave that washed over the area, streams of fire streaking past, the silhouette of a long object sitting dark within. Janemba staggered backwards, another pained roar echoing out as the blazing spear pierced his midsection.

Gohan took the opening to backpedal, gaining some distance from the demon, swooping down to grab the blade embedded in the ground as he passed. Gripping the hilt tightly, Gohan took a defensive stance as the flames licking Janemba's body began fading.

Janemba reached around, groping at the shaft of the weapon embedded in him. Purple energy crackled down his arms as a centered blast of energy obliterated the spear at its entry point. Reaching around, he gripped it just beneath the spearhead, and yanked it out with a roar. The open wound left in his stomach did not bleed, rather, his exposed inner flesh appeared as little more than a black void. But even as the spear was removed, the wound began to close on its own, and Janemba's evil, yellow eyes bored into Gohan's own.

The roar came on, startlingly loud, blowing all trace of debris near him into the distance, the building behind him completely collapsing as the ground was torn apart. Space warped around the broken spear in his hand, and Dabura, who had been preparing another to throw, stopped short as it began to morph.

Like before, what remained of the staff thinned, though not so much as before, this time maintaining a rather thick grip. The tip of the spear changed far more drastically, however, ballooning up and rounding out, turning into a rather spherical shape. A purple club, glowing red spikes popping out of the head, completing the forming of a rather wicked-looking mace, sitting heavily in Janemba's hands.

"You must be JOKING right now!" Dabura shouted. "Can this thing turn _anything_ into a weapon?!"

Gohan stepped backwards hesitantly. "It's looking that way" he muttered. "Dabura, let's make a new plan of attack that doesn't involve giving him anything physical to turn and use against us!"

The spear in Dabura's hand turned to flames, transforming itself back into his demon sabre. "If we get a moment enough to strategize again, I assure you that it will be at the forefront of my mind!" he called back.

The evil gaze shifted away from Gohan and up towards the demon king who last spoke. Gripping the mace tightly with both hands, Janemba brought the weapon back…

"Oh no you don't!" Gohan roared, crackling white energy sparking to life around him as he vanished from the spot.

" _That thing looks a lot more cumbersome than his scythe, maybe I can get in there before he can-"_

Janemba wheeled on the spot, leveraging the weapon and swinging it down, directly towards Gohan. His aura reversed, backpedaling so that the weapon didn't reach him, but his following reaction was too slow.

As the mace struck the ground, each spike layered on it shone brightly, before exploding outwards, spraying dagger-like projectiles in all directions. Gohan leapt backwards, but the attack came on blindingly fast. He twisted, but not before one spike shot straight through his half-healed shoulder, ripping through the flesh and bone anew, and another cut through his right hip, gouging out a fair piece of flesh in its wake. A final attack grazed his forehead, shallowly cutting a corner above his left eye.

Gohan crashed to the ground, crying out in pain. The sword clattered from his grasp as he crumbled, his arm going completely limp for the second time as pain exploded all throughout his body. His hip felt rather hot, and the wet feeling told the tale of what was coming out of it. His tail twitched, slapping the ground as he cringed from the pain.

Another crash sounded as Dabura was sent into the street. With a much larger frame, the demon king was less fortunate than he had been. A malicious cackle rang out as Janemba retracted the weapon, yet even as it was brought back, it began to wilt, eroding and crumbing, first back into the broken spearhead, and then into dust.

Gohan pushed himself back to his feet, eye closing as a wet trickle slipped down into it. He tried to settle back into a fighting stance, but as he worried, his arm wouldn't respond to any of the signals he tried to send down it. The pain had dulled in it, but all other feelings in it had as well, as the limb failed to react.

Trying to ignore the shooting pain in the functioning parts of his body, he raised his good arm and channeled it full of energy. "That's it… I'm ending this NOW!" he announced. Fingers curving down, his palm began to fill with a blueish-white energy. "Kamehameh-AH!"

A blood-red hand appeared in the air before Gohan, gripping his throat and stretching impossibly far, slamming him into a building. Breathing closed off, Gohan choked, resisting the urge to claw at the hand gripping his throat. Focusing as sharply as he could, he took aim at the demon. He didn't have the breath to say the incantation, but all the same, the core of energy imploded in his hands, before bursting forth in the form of a devastating energy wave, on direct course with Janemba.

His vision of his foe was obscured in the blinding flash, but he was still able to see the rippling fabric of reality, well before his attack had connected. There was no detonation, as an identical blue energy appeared high in the sky…

Right above the downed demon king. Reality twisted again as the energy wave shot down from the heavens. Gohan's eyes bulged, cutting off the energy supply to the wave. " _How could I have been stupid enough to forget?!"_ In the heat of the moment, he let his mind get clouded, and completely forgot about Janemba's rift opening. And his attack had been a killing shot, with a lot of his power behind it, meaning that if it struck… Dabura wasn't the only one that would be destroyed in the blast.

Again, he fought the instinct to claw at the grip on his throat, even as his vision began to blur, and braced himself to do what he needed to. Retracting his arm, he straightened it into a knife hand, and with his remaining reserves, formed a searing energy blade. With a swift motion, the blade turned, and he cut through Janemba's wrist with a flick of his own, severing the hand's grip on his neck.

Janemba howled in pain as his arm snapped back through the portal, holding the blunt stump. It would regenerate soon, but it gave Gohan the moment he needed. Discarding the severed hand from around his neck, he sprung forward, out towards the descending doomsday of his own creation. Racing against the clock, he channeled a storm of energy into his palm, reinforcing his flesh as he reached upwards to catch the blast.

And not a moment after he braced himself, the blast connected, striking his palm with a force he had rarely felt, the violent energy spraying out in all directions, the shockwave threatening to bowl him over while all the buildings in the area were blown apart, shattering like sugar cubes after the effort to preserve them during the long fight.

He sank into the ground, the force of his Kamehameha wave threatening to shatter his reserves as he used them to try and stop it. Dabura shifted beneath him, but he was still in no condition to help. The demon king had been turned into a pincushion by Janemba's mace. Vital areas had been avoided, but much of his torso was pieced, a kneecap was blown through, several lacerations wound around his arms, and even a part of his ear had been shot clean off.

His feel on the wave told him more about the risk. Perhaps he wouldn't have shattered the planet with the attack, but it would definitely blast the surrounding many miles to dust. The people of the city hadn't evacuated that long ago, most of, if not all of them, would likely still be in the blast radius. His wounds burned as he kept up the effort required to keep his beam at bay.

" _If I can just keep this up for a few more moments…"_ he thought determinedly. " _I cut off the energy flow, I just need to wait for it to run out."_ He ground his teeth tightly as he tapped deeper into his reserves to keep his barrier up.

There was a roar nearby, and his spirits dropped as he heard how much less pain was evident in the demon's call than before. The evil energy spiked and began rapidly moving towards him, and he barely had time to turn enough to see it coming before Janemba tackled him, evil smirk growing on his face.

Time seemed to slow down to a snail's pace for Gohan, the contact of the demon pushing him aside as he left the ground, being pushed by the momentum. His hand slid across the burning tip of the blast, which bore down onto the prone body of the demon king. Janemba's grin enlarged, pure maliciousness oozing from him as the blast prepared to detonate…

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

A stream of force, crashing through like a hurricane of energy, blasted past Gohan and Janemba, catching the pair's attention as it collided with the Kamehameha wave the instant before it force carried the attack with it turning skyward and slowly vanishing into the atmosphere.

Before either of them could react to what just happened, a large, yellow gloved hand smashed into Janemba's face, the cracking of his nose audible as he was sent reeling, growling and clutching at his nose.

The energy was especially hard to detect in the middle of the spatial anomalies in the area, but there was no mistaking who's hand that was. And with a thunderous footfall, he was proven right as the large Majin himself pulled up alongside Gohan… and he did not look happy.

"You bully Buu's friend?!" he asked angrily. "You NO bully Buu's friend! You bully Buu's friend, THEN BUU BULLY YOU!"

Reaching back, Buu's arm sailed forward again, Janemba barely catching the massive fist in his hands, but leaving himself open when Buu's foot came out of the ground, planting itself into Janemba's stomach, winding the demon. With a deep breath, Buu puffed up, and a high pitched whistle rang out alongside the force expelled, which crashed into Janemba just as he looked up, explosion ringing outwards.

Gohan blinked, staring at Buu's assault. "Wow, I thought that Buu lost a lot of his edge when he split from Kid Buu…" he murmured. He glanced downwards. "Hey, Dabura, how are you doing?"

"Peachy…" the demon king muttered. His eyes were closed, and his breathing shallow. He tensed, arms scraping at the ground, trying to get a firm hold, but the effort was abandoned shortly. "I love… dead weight…"

There was an explosive collision as Buu and Janemba crashed into each other. The subtle glances that Buu shot their way in the middle of the struggle spoke volumes of his purpose. The Majin was doing his best to give them a chance to rest and recover. He was landing many solid blows on Janemba with his massive fists and feet, but Janemba seemed to land twice as many attacks, his more combat-streamlined body giving him an advantage. Buu's drive was high, but his stamina didn't last as long as it did when he was whole.

Resting wasn't gonna do Gohan much good while he stayed a pincushion. Rather, his strength was slowly trickling away along with his blood. He allowed his energy to raise to a searing point, white aura flashing around him. Objectively, Buu was stronger than Dabura. There was a chance that if he and Buu fought together, they could overwhelm Janemba. That all depended on whether or not their strength and stamina lasted, though.

Gohan took off just as Janemba struck a heavy kick into Buu's rather large stomach. Janemba made to sledgehammer Buu down, hands clasping, and his eyes shifted to Gohan…

There was a ripple in the air between Buu and Janemba, and Gohan felt a tremendous impact strike him in the back, smacking him out of the air like swatting a fly. He bounced on the ground, hacking up blood and spit. While Janemba retracted his hands, Buu recovered, body stretching elastically and wrapping around the demon, squeezing tightly. Hands stretching wide, he reached out and began clapping around Janemba's head repeatedly. Every time his eyes were revealed as the large mitts retracted, he looked a little more dazed.

Gohan hacked as he stood back up, a splatter of blood coming out. " _Alright, that one hurt"_ he groaned. He ran across the street, towards the two brawlers. " _If I stay on the ground, he can't do quite as much damage to me with an attack like that"_ he reasoned, sprinting into the fray.

Buu's hands came off again, and a bloodcurdling sound rang out, an unholy, netherworldly shriek. The wave of force blew outwards, slamming into Gohan head on, as he barely held his ground, and Buu was blown apart, pieces of him plastering the buildings in the area. Janemba's mouth closed, and he took a deep breath as he locked eyes with Gohan once more.

His body behavior told Gohan a key piece of information. " _He doesn't know that Buu's gonna regenerate!"_ he realized. His guard was completely focused towards him, nothing around or behind him, even as the pieces of Buu began wriggle. " _But, that means that he's gonna come at me like a bat out of… well, technically, he is out of hell."_ Buu would take a couple moments to piece himself back together. As he recalled, his current form had slowest regeneration. It was still an amazing skill, but it was nothing compared to the evil Kid Buu's near instant regeneration speeds.

Raising his arm in a claw hand, Gohan assumed a defensive stance. He placed his weight heavily on his front foot, which would normally be a bad choice in fighting stance, but considering Janemba's abilities and his lack of a second functioning arm, he needed to keep his back foot light if he was to counter another portal attack.

Janemba jabbed a hand forward, causing Gohan to tense, but no attack came. Instead, he raised a single finger towards Gohan. Confused, Gohan saw Janemba bring his finger to the side, as it began to glow white. With a swift motion, Janemba moved his hand towards the otherside, an afterimage forming of the light, except, it didn't fade. A thin white line hung in the air, and as Janemba formed his hand back into a fist, Gohan got ready to take off.

With a fierce batting motion, the white object shattered, like glass, spreading into a maelstrom of dagger-like projectiles, not unlike the projectiles shot out of his mace. He formed a loose ball of ki in his hands and threw it as his feet. The energy exploded with more force than power, blasting Gohan into the air, narrowly avoiding the Lightning Shower Rain attack. Residual energy growing in his hand again, Gohan took aim, and made sure he was ready to move, before firing a Masenko down at the demon.

To his joy, it connected, detonating. Apparently, he had been unable to create a portal in time while performing his attack. His victory was short lived, however, as a flurry of glowing cubes formed in front of him, congealing back into Janemba, who had a rather deadly looking purple blast in his hands. Gohan hadn't the time to dodge as Janemba thrusted to blast into his chest, exploding and sending him crashing backwards, skipping across multiple rooftops, crashing through the railing of the last roof and barely stopping as his upper half hung down over the edge.

A red fist materialized in front of his upside-down face. He pulled up as fast as he could, barely avoiding the fist as it crashed through the building right beneath him, his foothold collapsing and sending him into a freefall.

He righted himself in the air, blasting back upwards to meet the demon as he careened towards him. Pumping his reserves into his fist, he launched forward to meet him. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to take a risk.

He swung wide and sideways as he approached. There was a tense moment where he was worried he had miscalculated, before Janemba began to dematerialize again. Letting the momentum of his heavy attack keep him going, he spun around, his punch returning full force as Janemba appeared behind him, satisfyingly cracking across his jaw and blasting him through a line of buildings.

He backpedaled, soaring backwards as he kept his eyes on the spot Janemba entered, leaving him off guard as he crashed into an unyielding body behind him. He didn't have a chance to turn around before a pair of large fists both crashed into his temples from both sides. He felt an immense pressure in his skull, eyes bulging, before a fierce kick to his back sent him flopping back onto the rooftop, dazed.

He moaned, trying to clear his vision, before becoming aware of green light shining over everything. He looked up, and a powerful looking core of energy was gathering in Janemba's mouth. He tried to move, but his back screamed out in pain, stunting his movement. Accepting his situation, orange energy began crackling around his good hand again. He took aim as best he could, his energy worryingly low, but it wasn't like he had any other options.

Both energies reached critical stages at the same time, and the powerful green blast rained down on Gohan, who kept gathering energy. "Come on, last moment…" he muttered, pouring more energy than he should be using at the moment into his hand, The energy was practically on top of him, and he prepared to fire. "MASE-"

A gargantuan beam of erratic purple energy shot from behind him, clashing with the attack and rapidly pushing it back. Janemba hadn't a moment to react as an explosion rocked the air with him at the center.

He felt a rough hand grip his shoulder and drag him up, and he turned around to a very shocking sight. "Vegeta?!" he exclaimed.

The prince's muscles were swollen to the extreme once again, his hair spiked blonde and bolts of energy zipping across his frame. He deflated before him, his energy dropping drastically with it. "Why am I not surprised that you knock me out, and I wake up to find you on the ground with some creature above you?" he growled.

He released Gohan, who summoned all his remaining strength to not crumple when he hit the ground. "This wasn't exactly planned" Gohan chuckled. "And besides, you missed Cell and Frieza by about ten minutes."

Vegeta's brow twitched, and he couldn't seem to decide whether or not Gohan was playing with him. "What?" he demanded.

"Long story short, big guy up there is breaking dimensions and brought all the enemies we've defeated back to life, but we put them back and then he came over from Hell" Gohan explained briefly.

Vegeta scowled, shaking his head. "If it wasn't for some of the crazy shit I've been involved in since I've met your pitiful planet, I wouldn't believe you."

Janemba roared from a ways away, smoke blown away as the force pushed against them, nearly knocking Gohan over. Vegeta turned towards the sound, a serious look upon his face. "This energy… it's overwhelmingly evil" he muttered.

The energy began moving towards them, Janemba flying through the air towards them. Vegeta bulked up slightly, his energy increasing with his size. Gohan raised his eyebrows. "So you did" he realized. "You found the second and third grades of Super Saiyan in the ascended state."

"It's the best substitute I can manage until I reach Super Saiyan 3" Vegeta muttered.

He had been much larger a moment ago when he saved Gohan, which meant he must be in the second grade right now. Vegeta was a battle genius, he had to give him that. The third grade had power well beyond the second, as he recalled his dad showing him, but it also burned through energy and stamina quicker, and sacrificed mobility. The second grade, however, barely affected agility at all, and wasn't much more difficult to maintain than the base state. He had used the third state for a moment where his mobility was not a factor in play, firing his Galick Gun attack.

Janemba neared, before a thick pink object wrapped around him, sending him sideways into the side of a building. The object wriggled, and Buu formed himself more completely around Janemba, beginning to strike him again.

"I see the Majin is here" Vegeta noted.

"Dabura's down there somewhere too" Gohan added.

Vegeta lost his composure momentarily as he looked at Gohan full on. "What?!" he asked.

"Apparently, dying changed him. He helped me take out everyone who escaped Hell, and prepared me and himself for Janemba to come here ahead of time" Gohan explained.

"If it wasn't for everything I've seen since-"

"Yeah, I know, caught me by surprise too" Gohan admitted.

Buu released Janemba, gaining some distance from the demon with a powerful Flame Shower Breath. Janemba took off after the Majin again, momentarily forgetting about the Saiyan duo on the rooftops.

"Stay here brat, you're not in any shape to do anything than get in the way" Vegeta demanded, taking off after Janemba.

Gohan felt like arguing, but the first step he took sent a bolt of pain through his back, so he figured that Vegeta's eye probably wasn't far off.

There was the sharp crack of stone cracking behind him, and he wheeled around, blast in his hands ready to fire, but stopped short at the bizarre sight before him.

A pink, bubble-gum like blob landed before him, before wriggling, forming into… a miniature Buu. Barely 2 feet tall, the small Buu was an exact replica of the larger one, scaled down.

"Buu?" he asked.

"Buu leave pieces apart to help!" Buu announced, voice even higher than before. "Big Buu fight meanie while small Buu help friends!"

Gohan looked curiously at Buu. "Help?" he asked.

Without talking, Buu held his arms out, hands splayed, and a glittery green energy began to wave. Gohan didn't have to wait very long to find out what was happening, as his strength gradually ebbed back into him, and his aches slowly faded. His shoulder seemed to heal far slower than anything else, but he could feel the rest of his body coming back together.

Looking down at the miniature Majin, he cracked a grin. "Buu, you're amazing!"

* * *

Vegeta soared high over the dueling duo beneath him, reaching back and gathering a violent core of power in his hands, ballooning until it was almost as big as he was. "Now DIE!" he roared, chucking the powerful blast straight into Janemba's back. There was a violent explosion, and Vegeta kept the gates opening, reaching back and unleashing a flurry of mighty blasts, heating the air and shaking the earth below.

Stemming his flow of energy, he dived, a flash of power flowing through his palm as he swung, feeling the blow connect, connect into flesh that felt far too soft…

"Damnit!" he roared as he accidentally spiked Buu down. The lack of burn marks affirmed that his earlier blast had at least hit his target. "Where did he-"

A disembodied fist collided with the side of his head, sending him wheeling through the air, ears ringing. The air shifted above him, and he reached up, just in time to grip another attack as it came towards him. He gave a mighty tug as his palm flattened, sparking energy. As Janemba fell through, he pressed into him directly, energy expanding. "BIG BANG ATTACK!" he roared, monstrous detonation sending the demon falling away.

He landed on the ground below, dashing towards the path the demon was falling in, reaching down to grab Majin Buu as he passed. Wheeling around, he chucked Buu at Janemba, who, to his own credit, caught on and righted himself to grab Janemba and slam him into the ground. Clasping his hands behind him, his body became cloaked in purple energy as his body swelled massively. "You'd better move, Buu! SUPER GALICK GUN!"

The added power of the third grade backing him, he launched an extremely powerful blast down at the demon. Buu bounced up, leaving a parting blow dazing Janemba enough to keep him from avoiding the attack as the purple plume flew up. The ground shook as several nearby buildings were blown away.

Shrinking, Vegeta jumped back in, only for a powerful grip to find its way around his throat. Janemba's arm stretched almost like Buu's were able to, claw cutting off his breath as he was pushed through the air, into a building. He clawed at the grip to no avail, choking as he tried to free himself.

A gust of wind blew past. "BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" the shriek sounded, and a pink energy wave careened into Janemba. As much as he despised being saved by Kakarot's signature move, Buu's Kamehameha caused him to release his throat. Bracing himself on the wall, he pushed off, launching himself towards Janemba, fist raised and guard up this time. Janemba sent a blast in his direction, but there was no focus to it. Charging his fist, he pierced the blast, and continued on, delivering a fierce blow to his skull, before gaining some distance.

Buu landed beside him, same silly grin plastered on his face. Vegeta scowled. "Hey, Buu, why are you smaller than normal?" he demanded.

"Buu help friends" Buu answered.

"What do you mean by-"

A storm of dagger like attacks darted through the air. Vegeta swore and jumped up into the air, almost avoiding them all, but having his shin get pierced clean through. "GAH!" he shouted. The attack went cleanly through, sawing through his bone as easily as his skin. Buu, on the other hand, took the full brunt of the attack, but his unique body allowed him to take no damage from the attack, each dart going right through him without so much of a flinch, holes fitting themselves back together the moment the attacks went through.

Vegeta gripped his forearm for bracing as he took aim at Janemba with a splayed hand, violent energy within. "Atomic Blast!"

The thin ray of energy darted forward, directly at the demon, who raised his hands. The air rippled, and his attack vanished inside it.

"What in the-" Vegeta exclaimed, before he was tackled to the ground, just as his own attack reappeared overhead, flashing through the sky. He looked down. "BRAT?"

Gohan stood up, able to move much easier, though his arm still wasn't responding well. "Buu managed to heal me a good bit of the way." He clenched his good hand tightly. "I can fight again."

His other arm attempted to clench, only twitching. He looked down in annoyance, but got over it. " _Buu's ability to heal must have been reduced since he was only a small part of himself"_ he reasoned. "Listen, Vegeta, this thing is dangerous. He can manipulate objects, open rifts and portals to send his own attacks through and send our own blasts back. You can't just go in throwing full firepower, he'll send it right back and take us down."

Vegeta scowled. "Then what do you recommend?" he asked.

"I think I've noticed something" he said. "Janemba needs his hands to direct and open his portals." He kept a wary eye on the demon as he was in another phase of watching. Gohan's re-arrival appeared to have confused him. " _Good, maybe that'll give Dabura a chance to get back up."_ He looked back to the Saiyan prince. "Here's what I think. He can't redirect melee range attacks. We use those to wear him out. Then, we can catch him off guard, and restrain him. Two of us do that, while the last one charges an attack to finish Janemba off."

Vegeta's scowl became one of the more thoughtful variety. "Sounds like a variant of the plan I had for Kakarot to defeat Buu back on the Kai's world" he mused. "It could work, though I can't get a proper read on this creature… Janemba?"

"Yeah, Janemba" Gohan nodded.

"I can't get a read on the bastard's power enough to know how much force is necessary to take it down."

Gohan looked down at his hand. "Honestly? I think that at full strength, I'm more powerful than he is." He looked back up. "In terms of raw power, anyways, but he has so many special abilities at make him incredibly dangerous to fight."

Janemba roared, charging them, but Buu got in his path, once again bowling Janemba to the side as their struggle resumed.

Gohan gave Vegeta a serious gaze. "I think it's best if I'm the one who delivers the blow to finish them off. Not that I don't doubt your power-" he said as Vegeta opened his mouth angrily. "-but more so that I don't trust that you can focus your Final Flash enough to kill Janemba but not kill us in the process. On the other hand, I'm certain I can condense my Super Kamehameha wave to leave the rest of you unharmed. My ki control's been a lot better ever since the Old Kai unlocked my potential, I can do this."

With a frown, Vegeta appeared to concede. "Your argument is sound, BUT, you'd better tag out of the battle as soon as that thing begins to tire. We're probably only going to get one shot at this, and you better have your attack charged and ready to fire by the time we have him down."

Gohan nodded, and opened his mouth to agree, when a third voice cut him off. "Or, we could give him the extra time to make it a guarantee and let me take his place."

Vegeta wheeled around, and Gohan allowed a smile to grace his face. "Dabura!" he exclaimed.

The king of the Demon Realm had definitely been better. He looked somewhat drained, and many of his more serious wounds looked more like freshly scabbed flesh than healed, but he was standing, and moving much easier. Vegeta looked rather angrily at him. "So, the brat was telling the truth, you're here too."

Dabura's hand shot out to the side, dark flames enveloping into his Demon Sabre. Rather than fade though, the flames continued to lick across his body, enshrouding him in a dark blaze, as the flames seemed to change from proper fire to more of an energy. "Without a second functioning limb, that technique of yours is much less potent, which means you need the additional time to charge and make up the difference" Dabura said objectively. "I'll stand in for you, between me, the Prince, and the Majin, we'll get Janemba restrained."

"Like Hell we need you" Vegeta spat. "Don't think I forget what happened the last time I was near you" he said as he jerked a thumb towards his forehead.

"You mean when the two of us were both under Babidi's will? And when you willingly succumbed to the dark desires in your heart?" Dabura asked firmly, effectively shutting Vegeta up. "If you want to prove that you've banished that darkness, as I have, then you will fight to protect this world and the worlds beyond from this creature."

Without waiting for a response from the proud Saiyan, Dabura charged in, a pink blob soon flying past them after him. Vegeta gripped his fist tightly. "That… Damn…" he wheeled back to Gohan. "Start charging, brat, we haven't a moment to waste for you to gawk!"

Vegeta's aura burst to life as he charged into the heat of the combat as well. His words resonated inside Gohan, and he agreed fullheartedly. He braced himself on the top, and reached his hand back.

"Kaaaaaaaaaaaa…"

* * *

The pink blob slammed into Buu, who grew slightly larger as it absorbed into him. In the moment it took to do so, however, Janemba landed a heavy blow, sending him tumbling backwards, as Dabura and Vegeta darted around, coming down on Janemba like a pincer. Janemba took to the air, avoiding Dabura's low cutting attack, and meeting Vegeta's furious blows head on, catching, clashing, and batting his attacks away.

Janemba's knee came up, striking hard into Vegeta's stomach, causing the Saiyan prince to retch and fall, but Dabura rose up from behind him and unleashed a torrent of Evil Flames, crashing into Janemba's back and searing his armor and skin black. Janemba whirled around, finger extended, a white line tracing through the air. Sensing danger, Dabura backpedaled, as Janemba swiped and sent a storm of dagger-like attacks his way.

He dropped like a stone to avoid the attack, and discarded his sword, spear forming in each hand. "I'm ready this time, you won't get a chance to use these against us" he promised. The power of his Demonic Will seeped into the spears, empowering them. "Are you ready, monster?!" he roared, his battlecry. "Meteo Lance Slicer!"

He tossed both spears simultaneously. Janemba dodged them, but he expected that. His demonic conjuration went into overdrive, giving him a seemingly endless supply of spears to cast. Janemba avoided several, but at least one managed to pierce him for every two that missed. Janemba began slowing down, the more he was punctured, and a final one dead through his chest caused him to stagger.

Bringing his sword back, Dabura charged, cutting right past the demon, sword flashing through his flesh, before he twisted around and unleashed another stream of Evil Flames, consuming Janemba's body entirely, and destroying all the spear shafts in him.

Vegeta and Buu shot up from beneath him, Buu tackling Janemba from behind with full force while Vegeta's fist buried itself in Janemba's chest, trapping the demon between the two forceful attacks. Vegeta let out a roar as he channeled a blast into him, unleashing it point blank and sending Janemba crashing down towards the street.

"This thing may have combat smarts, to an extent, but it appears to have great trouble when focusing on more than one threat at a time" Vegeta commented. "The more of us come at it, the poorer it's able to respond."

Vegeta dived, hands first, and prepared to deliver a ground-pounded blow. He was grabbed, however, and dragged through a portal, as Janemba saw the attack coming. Swinging him around, Janemba smashed him into the ground with full force. If it hadn't been for the padding Vegeta's extra bulk offered, his back may have been snapped.

Janemba prepared to stomp on Vegeta's stomach when Dabura appeared in front of him, hand outstretched before him. Before the demon could respond, Dabura unleashed his own point-blank blast, directly into the demon's face, a satisfying roar ringing up. Buu meteored down, coming down on top of Janemba and crushing him beneath.

Dabura looked up and saw the violent blue glow down the street. "It's time" he roared to the others. As Janemba threw Buu off of him, Dabura raced up behind him and grabbed ahold of his arms. The black flames licked down his wrists and onto Janemba's, forming a pair of shackled out of the blackest of metals. The demon struggled still, and Dabura gripped on tight, not allowing him to get the required leverage. "Buu, help me restrain him!" he called.

"Buu do!" the Majin called, rushing over, body stretching elastically. He wrapped around Janemba like a straightjacket before snapping off, falling to the ground and regenerating the flesh that kept the demon still.

Vegeta walked up beside him, blast ready in his hands, warily. "I see you are ready to sacrifice yourself to keep him in the line of fire?"

Janemba roared and continued to struggle, bucking Dabura around as he nodded. "I was always going to return once my job here was done" he said simply.

That was answer enough for Vegeta, as he gave a curt nod. The energy blast in his hands softened, and he took aim, firing it at Dabura. Rather than explode, it absorbed into Dabura's own aura, strengthening it. "To help make sure he doesn't escape at the last moment" he muttered.

Janemba still struggled, but Dabura's grip tightened as the extra power flowed through him, and the resistance felt slightly lessened. "Thank you, Prince" he acknowledged. "Please, if my sister ever comes looking for me, do you think you could tell her where I am, why I'm there?"

Vegeta gave a barking laugh. "YOU have a sister?" he asked.

"You'll know her when you see her, if she ever comes here" Dabura assured him, nearly being bucked off from a particularly violent jump from Janemba. "You must go, tell the boy to fire!" he commanded.

No other words were exchanged between the two as Vegeta took off down the street, and Buu backed up from the the demon and the demon king.

* * *

The energy became enormous in his hands as Vegeta charged towards him. He looked up, and Vegeta wheeled around him. "He's holding him as well as he can with assistence from the Majin, fire the blast, brat!"

Gohan looked down the street. He nodded, shaking from the amount of power he had gathered. His hand twitched back further. "Meeeeeeeeeeee…" he chanted, preparing to finish the attack.

" _This is the blow that will do it, destroy the monster that's been responsible for so much destruction today"_ Gohan thought with determination. " _Anyone who's been hurt, and Piccolo's death, he'll do no more!"_

" _THIS ENDS NOW!"_

The blast in his hands reached critical mass, and he thrust his hand forward. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The energy exploded outwards, it taking all of Gohan's control over energy manipulation to keep him from anihalating half the city with just the sheer scope the blast wanted to expand do. The beam bore down on Janemba and Dabura, the street turning molten as it passed over it…

Then a portal appeared right in the path of the blast.

A massive energy surge was forced out of the portal, and his beam was redirected, high into the sky. Gohan's eyes widened. " _That's not what happens normally!"_

He cut off the flow to the beam, letting the light fade, and the sight that met his eyes socked more air out of him than Janemba ever had.

Violent golden aura shaking the street, cascading blonde hair sweeping downwards, and piercing, angry eyes met his own. Gohan's arm lowered, as he stared at the last sight he expected to see here.

"D-Dad?!" he exclaimed.

"Wh- Kakarot?!" Vegeta shouted.

Goku looked out of breath as he stood there. Behind him, two other figures emerged, both sporting green skin. One, he didn't recognize, wearing what almost appeared to be Egyptian garb. Piccolo emerged beside him, the small grin he sent his way shocking him out of his stupor.

"Sorry if I'm late" Goku chuckled, his voice deeper, as it did when he was in his Super Saiyan 3 state.

Even as they stood on the street, the halos hanging over their heads vanished, and their bodies, while not transparent before, seemed to solidify fully into the world. "Where's Janemba?" Goku asked.

"He'd be dead IF YOU DIDN'T INTERRUPT THE KILLING BLOW!" Vegeta bellowed. "You imbecile, Kakarot, your son used all his energy in that attack, and you sent it away!"

Gohan frowned. He hadn't used ALL of his power, but he was definitely not feeling as hot as he had been after being healed by Buu. He had tapped a lot of his reserves dry, so he was reluctantly agreeing with what Vegeta was saying.

Goku shook his head. "No, Vegeta, this is good, we can't just kill him" he told him.

Gohan started. "What do you mean we can't kill him?" he asked. "He's destroying reality as we know it, we have to stop him!"

"You guys don't get it, Janemba isn't just some mindless monster" Goku said.

The unknown arrival stepped forward. "If you simply annihilate Janemba, you'll be taking an innocent life with it" he said. "Janemba isn't the demon itself, Janemba is a collection of evil energy attatched to a soul, congealed into this form."

There was a mighty roar, and Janemba broke free. The newcomer swore. "Damnit. Goku, explain the situation to them. Piccolo, lets go stall until they have something."

"Right, be careful Pikkon, I won't be there to get you back here if you get killed" Goku warned. "You too, Piccolo."

Pikkon nodded. Piccolo gave Goku a thumbs up, before the two turned and launched down the street, where Buu and Dabura were being blasted back by Janemba.

Vegeta growled. "Alright, Kakarot, whatever it is, spill it! What did the green man two-point-oh mean about an innocent life?"

There was a bright flash of light as Goku dropped into his base form, breathing hard. "There's a lot to explain, so I'll try to be brief" he said.

* * *

 **Yemma's Palace (Flashback)**

* * *

" _What do you mean that you can't take us?"_

 _Kibito Kai stood there, looking worried. He had arrived shortly before the trio before him did. "Reality is too unstable for my Instantaneous Movement. It works by cutting through space and jumping to the point on the other end of the cut, but everything is working too weird right now for it to work."_

" _So we're stuck here while Janemba is terrorizing the mortal plane" Pikkon huffed. "This couldn't get much-"_

" _Don't finish that sentence, the surest way to make something get worse is to finish that phrase" Piccolo muttered._

 _Kibito Kai looked back at Goku. "I can't get you there, no, but you could."_

" _I already tried, my Instant Transmission can't get a read on the planet" Goku complained._

" _No, I mean you could do what the boys did" he urged. "And what Buu did." He looked uncomfortable. "As dangerous as it is, I'd wager that Janemba is a bigger threat than a Vice Shout."_

" _Vice Shout?!" Pikkon exclaimed. "I thought that technique was a thing of legend."_

" _It mostly is, just because for the last several millenia, there haven't been many legends capable of pulling it off" Kibito Kai said._

 _Goku crossed his arms. "I kinda remember what they did, they just powered up and screamed, right?"_

" _They went to their maximum and poured their actual power into their voice, enough to pierce reality" he explained. "If Piccolo and Pikkon lend you power to your Super Saiyan 3 form, I'm sure you can pull it off."_

" _Alright, then that's what we'll do" Goku nodded. "Come on, you two, we need to destroy Janemba before he can do any more damage to the… well, everything."_

 _The two approached Goku as he began powering up, but a booming voice went over them. "WAIT JUST A MOMENT, YOU THREE" Yemma yelled. "You honestly expect to charge right back in without knowing what you're truely up against?"_

* * *

 **End Flashback**

* * *

"Yemma explained it to us" Goku said. "There's something called a Soul Cleansing Machine in Otherworld. Whenever someone dies, they have to get ran through it. It basically siphons off all the darkness attatched to one's soul from the evil deeds they've done, so that the soul can hold together longer when in Otherworld." He rubbed the back of his head. "Apparently, the afterlife usually lasts between five and ten thousand years before your spirit deteriorates enough that you truely pass on."

"Get to the point, Kakarot" Vegeta growled, eyes never leaving the fight happened a ways away.

"Right!" Goku apologized. "Anyways, apparently, some destruction god thing is supposed to come around sometimes and destroy all the collected evil essense, since that's the only way to get rid of it permanently. Though, this guy hasn't been seen in about 35 years, so there was that much buildup there."

"This morning, Buu was sent through the machine. Everyone in Yemma's office thought they were prepared, but they were wrong…" those words sent shivers down Gohan's spine. "Buu's essence overloaded the machine. His soul came through alright, but the amount of darkness it had caused the machine to overload, causing an explosion that also set all the other evil essence free, and it all collected on the nearest living thing." Goku frowned. "A young ogre was taken over by the evil energy and turned into Janemba."

"The darkness used him as a host, and the darkness was brought directly from the villains we've fought since the last time the energy was dumped…"

"Thirty-five years?" Vegeta asked. He growled thoughtfully. "That would place it having last been cleaned merely 2 years after Frieza wiped out our race…"

"Yeah, which means that basically everyone we've fought since near our beginnings was a part of the evil that birthed this thing" Goku said. "Some of the strongest evils may even lend traits, Yemma said."

Gohan gasped. "Is that why I noticed that he looked a little bit like Cell, Buu, and Frieza?" he asked.

"Probably, Yemma didn't get too specific on that part" Goku shrugged.

"The history lesson is fascinating, Kakarot, but that doesn't change the fact that the ogre is now a demon, one that needs to be put down like a rabid dog" Vegeta said sharply.

"Wait, didn't you listen at all?" Goku asked. "The darkness is just using him as a host, if we can just destroy the darkness, then he'll be unharmed."

"Oh? And how do you suppose we just destroy an intangible force?" Vegeta asked. "I don't suppose that you have a plan for that?"

Goku looked Vegeta dead in the eyes. "As a matter of fact, Vegeta, I do…" he said coldly. "But I need your guys' help, big time." He looked between Gohan and Vegeta. "Do you guys remember the Spirit Bomb?" he asked.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, of course" he said. " _It's not like you used it just a month ago to wipe out the terror of the universe"_ he added silently.

"Are you implying that a Spirit Bomb wouldn't completely erradicate this thing, host and all?" Vegeta asked, the idea laughable.

Goku shook his head. "No, it totally would. But, I've been working hard in Otherworld, and part of that is, I've been trying to develop my own techniques." He raised his hand. "The Spirit Bomb is extra effective against dark energies, but can be used on anyone. I had the idea to take the idea of that part of the Spirit Bomb, and turn it into an attack that only targets the dark energy in a person. That way, if I fought someone like Frieza again, I could completely destroy their ability to fight without having to kill them, just by killing the evil intwined with their power."

Gohan looked at his father. "Wow, Dad, that's an amazing idea" he admitted.

"But…" Goku continued. "It's a really tricky technique to get down. I have the basis, but I haven't been able to get the power of energy control that I need to properly use it, not on my own."

Vegeta snarled. "Kakarot, are you leading us in circles with useless information on purpose?" he demanded.

"Vegeta, this isn't useless information, I know how to get the necessary power and control to use it" Goku said. He looked towards Gohan. "Gohan, this may be a little weird, but you're less likely to turn this down than he is." Raising a fist, he he clenched it tight, and looked at his son dead in the eye. "Son, if we fuse, my knowledge combined with our fused body will be more than enough to take Janemba down on the spot, and save the ogre he took. What do you say?"

Gohan wasted no time in nodding. "Yeah, of course Dad" he said.

Goku smiled. "Alright son, I'm gonna walk you through the motions real fast, alright?" he said. "We have to synchronize our powers first, then do this…" Goku demonstrated the Fusion Dance, how he swung his arms around, twisted, then leaned in. "Alright, are you ready… What's wrong?"

A pit formed in Gohan's stomach as he watched the movements, and something dawned on him. "Dad…" he muttered. He tried to move his left arm, but it was still mostly unresponsive. "My arm's shot, how am I supposed to do the dance with that?"

Goku's face paled. "You… You can't" he said bluntly. "So… Vegeta-"

"YOU ARE NEVER CONVINCING ME TO STRIKE THAT POSE, CLOWN!" Vegeta immediately roared.

Goku's face went from pale shock to red anger in the span of a second. "And here I was thinking you had gotten over your pride" he scowled. "Vegeta, are you honestly willing to let Janemba tear the universe apart, killing your wife and son in the process, especially knowing that he can go to Otherworld anytime he wants, and obliterate their spirits there as well?"

Vegeta opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out. A couple more times showed the same result. The fourth time he opened his mouth, a barely audible phrase was whispered out. "Fine…" he muttered. "I'll do the damned dance, but just this one time."

"If we do this right, one time is all we need" Goku affirmed. Vegeta didn't seem that assured by Goku's attitude, but he walked up beside Goku all the same.

"So how is this energy attack performed?" Vegeta asked.

"Don't worry, when we fuse, our knowledge becomes shared by the new body" Goku said. "He'll know exactly how to do it."

Seeming satisfied enough, Vegeta, almost blushing, threw his arms out to the side, Goku mirroring.

"Fuuuuuuuuuu…" the pair chanted, shuffling towards each other while bringing their arms over.

They swung their arms back around, pivoting on the spot. "-Sion…"

The infitesmal moment seemed to last an eternity. Down the street, Janemba had Piccolo by the throat. Dabura looked to be out cold, and Pikkon and Buu were regrouping. They were getting slaughtered.

"HA!"

The blinding light emmenated outwards, searing Gohan's skin and blinding him with the sheer radience of it. Within the display, he felt his father's energy and Vegeta's energy blending together, each one distinct within the field at first, until it became something new… something tremendous.

The light broke away, breaking off into the air, and Gohan lowered his hand, uncovering his eyes to the sight before him.

A blazing, golden aura, roared around him like an inferno, the force of the power in it almost overwhelming at such a close range. Unlike Vegito, the warrior's clothing was not a hybrid of what the two had been wearing before. Rather, they wore baggy white pants, with a blue sash tied around them. The Metamoran Fusion vest adorned their torso, sporting a black and orange color scheme, as opposed to Gotenks' blue and yellow one. Simple black boots with a blue wrapping rested on their feet, and a rather durable black arm band on each wrist.

The new warrior stood slightly taller than his dad, and donned a face halfway between his dad's serious face and Vegeta's normal scowl. His hair was spiked and blonde, being in the Super Saiyan state, and that's what surprised him.

The two of them were only at the first level of Super Saiyan, yet their power was overwhelming. It completely outclassed anything else he had ever felt. He looked up. "Who… Are you?" he asked.

The warrior looked down at him. "A fusion of your father and the prince" he said, his voice a rich blend of the tones both warriors possessed. "I am neither Goku, nor Vegeta. I am Gogeta!"

Gogeta turned his back on Gohan, facing the fight down the street. Janemba still seemed to be busy choking Piccolo, when a just of wind pushed Gohan back. Gogeta moved from the spot impossbily fast. It was more than just an afterimage from speed. Janemba staggered back, multiple strikes shattering his chestplate before Gogeta even seemed to vanish from the spot, appearing behind the demon.

Janemba wheeled around to face the fused warrior, and was met with a fierce kick that sent him flying across the street (if it could really be called a street at this point, with so much of it molten and destroyed).

Gogeta flipped through the air, coming down on Janmeba and delivering a powerful stomp to the downed creature. Janemba's hand moved up, going through a portal and crashed right into Gogeta's face. The warrior didn't move, the attack striking him dead on without making him flinch. Picking up the demon, Gogeta punched him out of his hands, causing the demon to stagger to his feet while falling back from the attack.

Before Janemba could move again, Gogeta slammed into him, knee striking him across the jaw as Gogeta flipped backwards in a dazzling flourish of power. Landing lightly, he raised his hand, a glittering energy taking form there.

"This is the power that will destroy you, Janemba" Gogeta's voice echoed. "Every force you create has an echo, and so your own energy will be your undoing!"

Janemba looked like a tiger backed into a corner, and he reacted like one too. As Gogeta threw the attack into Janemba, he rushed him, and attempted to throw another attack, but the resounding CRACK that sounded told the tale of Janemba being batted away.

The demon tried to stand up again, but something was happening. Light began emmenating from within Janemba, bursting free. The demon's armor shattered completely, evaporating into the sky, as Janemba himself began to pixilate, much as he had done before, but he could go anywhere. A roar of torment and anguish echoed across the streets as Janemba collapsed, fading…

And in his spot? A young boy, who could have passed for a teenage human if his skin wasn't bright red and if not for the two small horns in his head. The young ogre seemed to be out cold.

The planet's energy began to shift and phase all around Gohan, and he suddenly felt very disoriented, being at the center of it. "What's going on?!" he called out.

"Relax, Gohan" Gogeta commanded. "With the evil energy destroyed, Janemba's influence is fading. This is the universe's walls trying to reconstitute themselves, nothing more." The warrior looked up. "A lot of damage has been done, we can only hope that it can completely right itself."

He gasped, and Gohan's eyes shot to the warrior as a shocked look flashed across his face. There was another flash of light as Gogeta's form seemed to be severed in half. When the light faded, Vegeta was lying in a heap on the ground. Gohan was about to rush over and check when Vegeta pushed himself up, muttering something about "never again."

But Goku was nowhere to be seen, sensed, heard, or anything otherwise. Gohan looked around for his father, but didn't see him anywhere. On top of that, Piccolo, Dabura, and Pikkon were nowhere in sight either. The only warriors that remained in the battlefield were himself, Vegeta, and Buu.

" _ **Yeah, I suppose you've deserved that much, let him know what's going on."**_

The voice boomed across the street, as Gohan looked for the source. It was nasally and somewhat unfamiliar. The next voice, however, not so much.

" _ **Heya, Gohan. Sorry about that"**_ the sound of Goku's voice came down.

"Dad? Where are you?" Gohan asked.

" _ **Back in Otherworld, with King Kai and everyone else"**_ Goku said, as Gohan now recongized the first voice as King Kai's.

Vegeta looked up at the voice too. "I suppose that means everything's over then?" he asked.

" _ **Yeah, with Janemba gone, the universe has tried to reestablish its balance"**_ the nasally voice of King Kai came through again. " _ **Unfortunately, that also meant total recall on those who had tipped the balance during it. Goku, Piccolo, Pikkon, and Dabura all got swept back here the moment the universe was ready to raise the walls between life and death."**_

Gohan frowned. "Wait, Piccolo's there too? Why?"

" _ **The universe could recall the dead souls that came back to life. But lives lost at the hands of the villains who escaped aren't as reversable"**_ Piccolo's own voice came through.

" _ **Sorry about you getting caught in this, Piccolo"**_ Goku apologized. " _ **But hey, I'm sure the Namekians wouldn't mind bringing you back when I come back. I'm sure they want to look out for their own, after all."**_

" _ **Namekians are too peaceful to have a thought process like that"**_ Piccolo retorted. " _ **However, I'm hopeful that they'll be happy to amend that wish."**_

Gohan's post-battle euphoria was wearing off. "So you're stuck in Otherworld for four more months?" he asked.

" _ **Sorry, kid, we aren't doing this just to torture you, this is just the way the laws of the universe work"**_ King Kai apologized. " _ **Look at it this way though, you're getting some major brownie points for whenever you reach the end of your line… Er, I know it doesn't sound like a big comfort now, but I'm sure you'll enjoy it when it happens."**_

He was right, it wasn't much of a comfort. And even less comforting, the adreneline from the fight was wearing off, and the pain he had suddenly multiplied tenfold. Energy left his knees as he fell forward, a rough hand catching him before he could faceplant the ground. "Come on, brat, you've fought well today, you need to go rest" Vegeta's gruff voice a bit softer.

The last thing Gohan remembered before blacking out was the feeling of taking to the air, and hearing his father's voice, one last time.

" _ **I'm so proud of you, Gohan."**_

* * *

 **Kame House**

* * *

Krillin peered into the sky, sweat finally beginning to stop pouring. "All that big evil energy, it just vanished" he sighed. "That's a good thing too, the planet felt pretty strained there for a while."

"Still does" 18 commented neutrally, rocking Marron in her arms. "The energy of the planet is barely holding together right now, it seems like. Almost as if something is forcing it to stay intact."

"I feel that, and I'd wager Dende is really making Kami proud right now" Krillin nodded.

"Good, if people are proud and things are holding together…" another voice said lowly.

Krillin flinched as the two of them slowly turned around, face to face with the blazing blue eyes of one angry Satan.

"...Do you mind telling us _exactly_ WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!"

* * *

 **And scene. Whew boy, that was a long one.**

 **I know I say this every time, but sorry for the long update time. It's been almost two months since the last one, and I've been busy. Plus, sometimes I have trouble writing long fight scenes, and this? This is probably the longest straight fight scene I've ever written.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed my lore expansion on Janemba. He's always been my favorite villain, design and concept wise, but was never really expanded. I figured I could open up on his lore, and his abilties. Hopefully my giving him the ability to craft more than just the Dimension Sword came off as a good idea. If not, well, you don't have to deal with it again.**

 **This is the end to the first major arc in my story. There will be some wind down from here, and some plot advancements after, but as long as you guys enjoyed this first hurdle, I'm satisfied.**

 **Now, before I end the story's dozenth chapter, I'll respond to reviews real quick.**

 **Nickadiny - indeed I did, I worked hard to make sure it would be ready by that exact date.**

 **Tsukimine12 - hopefully that answers your question, and hopefully it wasn't a predictable path to it**

 **Calen - this is a Z story**

 **Zfj - Fusion Reborn was a stop I rarely see get taken in any stories, I wanted to break the mold at least a little bit in that way**

 **Intata - it wouldn't be DBZ without the world shaking baddies, but don't worry, they aren't gonna be the main focus of the story**

 **With that, well, it's done guys. The first arc has been complete, and when the enxt chapter comes up, there will be aftermath.**

 **But that's all in the future. For now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please drop a review and maybe follow my story while you're at it if you haven't (I'm so flattered guys, and a little daunted. You've already pushed me to the position of 18th most followed story on the site!), and I will see you all next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12 - Aftermath**

* * *

An intensely furious gaze burned into the two figures before her. Krillin looked mildly uncomfortable underneath the scrutiny of Videl. 18, on the other hand, looked rather nonplussed by the attempted intimidation.

Sharpner was resting inside the small hut on the island. There was nothing but ocean all the way to the horizon and beyond in every direction, and the blonde wasn't great out at sea, especially after a day as shocking as it had been for the two of them.

On the other hand, Videl didn't have the same nauseous feeling being stranded out here, and while her chopper wasn't in the best condition after a few scrapes in the terrorist attack, she knew how to get it running fine when it was time to get out. And until she had a moment to do so…

"I'm expecting some answers, considering how you practically kidnapped the two of us and took off to some remote island" Videl growled. "Don't make me hurt you to get them!"

18 arched an eyebrow at the demanding woman standing before them. "You'd think someone who just got rescued from complete destruction would be more thankful and less pushy" she commented.

Krillin chuckled nervously. "If you saw her on the force, you'd think otherwise" he said.

Videl narrowed her eyes at the shorter of the two. "Hey, don't think I forgot that a trickster like you managed to work your way into the police department" she threatened. "I'm not sure what you're playing at but-"

She was interrupted by a long drawn out and exaggerated groan, courtesy of Krillin. "Just like her father in that regard…" he muttered. "Everything's a trick…"

"At least the old buffoon's only got a public facade on that front now" 18 commented. "It was unbearable back when he actually believed those claims."

Videl huffed. "You know, it's rude to speak like I'm not here."

"And it's also rude to demand things of your elders" 18 commented, a dangerous edge to her voice. While quiet, her tone caused warning alarms to go off in her head.

Videl was slightly put off by the woman's adamant posture, her surprise softening her glare, the ring of truth in it making her feel slightly meek in comparison. Still, her pride wasn't going to let her exterior fall without a fight.

"I'll stop demanding when you start filling me in" she said, working an edge of her own into her voice. "You snatched me up and carried me to some far away location, without warning. I would _think_ that earns me a few questions from you two."

Krillin sighed. "You know, 18, I don't think she's gonna drop this any time soon" he said. "Should we just give her a few answers?"

18 looked down at her husband. "You really want to clue her in? I'm pretty sure 'our friend' wouldn't be the happiest with that." Her tone was an obvious nod at Gohan. "I'm pretty sure we were vacating the place for _that reason_."

Krillin smiled. "I'm sure we can manage around that" he said, sounding as if his mind was set, much to the chagrin of his wife. He looked back at the young raven-haired woman. "We have time for a few questions, I guess. But-" he warned her as her face began to look rather accomplished, "-there are a few topics that we're keeping close to the vest here, so if it's one of those, you aren't getting it out of us."

Her face dropped slightly, but it was still blatantly obvious how hungry she was for information. There was hardly any form of delay as she nodded. "I can work with that" she agreed.

18 sighed. "I'll leave her to you. I'm going to check up on her friend, and Marron" she said plainly.

She began striding through the sand as Krillin nodded his response. "Sure thing, babe" he smiled. With a glance to the sky, Krillin sat down in the sand, cross-legged, gesturing to Videl to do the same. Once she got situated, he locked eyes with her. "Alright, the first thing I think you should know is that the battle that was going on back in Satan City is over. We just want the dust to settle a bit before we send you guys back over."

Videl blinked, before scowling. "What? How could you possibly know that it's over?" she asked. "You haven't been on a phone or anything to know something like that."

Krillin rapped the side of his head smartly. "I'm not sure that my 'dirty tricks' would be something you'd be able to understand" he said, voice a little less warm this time.

A feeling of abashment began creeping up inside Videl, as she broke her gaze with Krillin. "I'm sorry about that…" she admitted. "I didn't, I mean, I was thinking-"

"Rethinking this whole thing, whether or not it's just a trick?" Krillin guessed, earning a shocked look from the girl. "I'm pretty good at reading people, and you looked conflicted about something, pretty severely."

"You could say that…" she grumbled. Glancing back up, she steeled herself. "Alright, you said you'd answer some questions, and judging by what I've seen, you're one of the best people to answer the first one."

Krillin kept silent as she took in a breath. "Is it really a trick?"

* * *

 **Mt. Paozu**

* * *

Vegeta grit his teeth as the frigid mountain air blew into his wounds. He was a warrior, but that didn't mean it didn't sting like hell!

He hadn't often made a visit to the home Kakarot's family had out in the wilderness. He'd never had much occasion to, either, except for the one time where Trunks had refused to come home at the assigned time. He never arrived any later than ten minutes early after that.

He was tracking the energy signatures of the other members in the little family that clown had reared. Trunks' friend and Kakarot's mate stood out like sore thumbs when the rest of the energy in the area was minimum-level wildlife. At least, besides the dead weight he was carting through the air.

Gohan hadn't stirred since the two had left the city, save for the extra appendage that he had gained during the fight, which twitched around relentlessly through the flight. If it hadn't been for his self restraint and knowledge of that particular piece of Saiyan anatomy, he would have ripped it out the first time it slapped against his forearm.

" _This boy is going to have to gain some motorory function over his tail before too long"_ Vegeta scowled. " _As it is, he has about as much as a newborn."_

There were signs of smoke rising from the trees ahead, catching Vegeta's eye. "It's about time" he muttered. As he floated over the last of the foliage, a rather large clearing came into view, the hut-like structure sticking out amongst the nature like a beacon. The area was relatively clear, the wildlife mostly scattered some distance away.

As he approached, he dropped down to the ground, taking his final few steps on the turf before reaching the door. He reached out with his free hand and rapped on the door, the noise echoing across the landscape. He waited for Kakarot's mate to come to the door, not inviting himself in. He had learned of the female's 'violent tendencies,' and did not want to find himself of the receiving end of them.

Of course, holding the limp, apparently lifeless body of her spawn probably wasn't doing him any favors towards that goal, a thought that crossed his mind a moment too late, as the door swung open and a shriek rang across the landscape, and deep inside Vegeta's head. He growled, clutching one of his sensitive ears. "Kami, keep it below a high C!" he roared.

* * *

 **Otherworld**

* * *

 _ **RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR**_

"Either Janemba's back, or Goku worked his appetite up fighting him" Pikkon noted with a touch of amusement in his voice.

Goku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, chuckling. "What can I say, a good workout makes me hungry."

"Goku, you're ALWAYS hungry" King Kai said. "You're dead, you shouldn't hardly need to eat at all, it's not like you have a physical body to keep running anymore, just your spirit form."

"Yeah, I know, though technically I did have a physical body for a bit there-" Goku began to say.

"-for all of two minutes, most of which you spent in a fused state that took your body out of the equation" Piccolo interjected.

Goku crossed his arms and stuck his tongue out at Piccolo. "Fine, I'm just hungry then" he admitted. He looked at King Kai hopefully. "Do you think that Grand Kai can hook us up with those vendors he hired for the Otherworld Tournament?" he asked.

King Kai snorted. "Goku, never change" he chuckled. "Well, maybe get a bit more responsible. You still owe me a plan-"

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING OUT THERE?!" a mighty bellow rattled the floor, sheer volume and ferocity striking all the warriors present shock-still.

Goku gulped and turned towards the source of the roar. "Was that… Yemma?"

"IN ALL MY MILLENNIA AS GUARDIAN OF THE CHECK IN STATION, I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED SUCH INCOMPETENCE!" Yemma roared again. "YOU HAD A SINGLE JOB TO DO, TO CART AWAY ALL OF THE COLLECTED EVIL ENERGY, AND YOU FAILED TO DO EVEN THAT!"

A trickle of sweat rolled down King Kai's face. "This isn't good. Yemma has a bit of a temper, but he never lets loose like this."

"Who do you think he's yelling at?" Goku asked.

"From the sound of it, probably one of the workers who were tending to the Soul Cleansing Machine when it had its meltdown" Pikkon reasoned. "We should probably stay clear of- GOKU, where are you going?!"

Goku had taken off down towards Yemma's office, jogging at a brisk pace down the hall. "Goku! Ugh…" Pikkon facepalmed.

"When he gets something in his mind, you can't really stop him" Piccolo said slowly. "He usually has a good instinct about it. I don't know what he hopes to accomplish by getting mixed up in this, though."

"Oh well, when in doubt, steer clear of Goku so you don't get hit in the crossfire" King Kai chuckled.

Dabura, who had been standing silent by the sidelines during this time, glanced oddly at the Kai. "You have a rich sense of humor" he noted, in a slightly put off voice.

"YOU SINGLE HANDEDLY ALMOST CAUSED THE DOWNFALL OF NOT ONLY THE UNIVERSE, BUT PERHAPS THE ENTIRETY OF THE DIMENSION!" Yemma boomed out again, causing all present parties to flinch.

Goku winced as the noise assailed his senses, as he had a stronger sense of sound, and a much closer proximity to the source, but he kept jogging. "YOU WOULD THINK THAT WHEN DEALING WITH A THREAT TO THE UNIVERSE, EVEN YOU COULD SHOULDER SOME RESPONSIBILITY!"

Goku burst into the main hall, and stopped short when he saw the scene before him. "Hey, you were the ogre that was there!" he realized.

Yemma's gaze was thunderous as he looked down on the young ogre, red skinned with brown hair, and wearing a green jacket. His gaze shifted to Goku as he entered the room. "Goku, I'd appreciate it if you left us to finish this up before you return" he said, voice low and restrained.

He looked up at Yemma. "But why are you chewing him out?" Goku asked. "I mean, isn't he the victim? Janemba used him to get a physical body, right?"

"This buffoon is the reason Janemba had a chance to be born in the first place" Yemma glowered, turning back to the ogre in question. "You incompetency in handling a situation as dire as that of wringing out the soul of MAJIN BUU is a sign that you are not fit to work in this station."

The ogre looked down at his feet, shame and fear lining his face. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. King Yemma, sir" he said shakily. "I promise, it won't h-happen again."

"That is correct, it will not" Yemma said, his voice holding a dangerous edge. "As of now, you are officially relieved of your duties as an ogre in the Check-In Station." He held out his hand as the ogre's face jerked to Yemma's, shocked. "I am sorry, but you are now to be banished from Otherworld until such time as it is fit for you to return!"

The young ogre didn't even have the chance to protest or respond. He was enveloped in a blinding light, and within an instant, had vanished from his spot in Yemma's court, completely gone.

Goku blanched at the sentence. "Well jeez, Yemma, don't you think that was a little harsh?" he asked.

Yemma sighed and reclined in his chair, closing his eyes. "Part of being in a leadership position is doling out the punishments necessary to keep your unit running" he said, anger having abated mostly from his voice. "Saike is perhaps not responsible for the meltdown of the Soul Cleaning Machine. No, that was on all of us. Buu's spirit was stronger than we could comprehend. However, he slacked in his task of removing the evil energy from prior buildups from the area." He opened his eyes and looked back down at Goku. "If he had done his job, sure, Buu's essense may have escaped, but it wouldn't have a tether like that dark buildup to latch onto and form something dangerous from."

A small smile graced his face. "The only upside I can manage to see from this whole fiasco is that your wish had a chance to be granted."

Goku looked confused. "My wish?" he wondered. "...Oh, my wish!"

"Your technique worked quite well in eradicating the evil essence" Yemma stated. "Perhaps such a small thing wasn't worth the _potential eradication of this entire reality_ , but it's a silver lining nonetheless."

Goku felt the slightest bit giddy, even as exhausted as he was. "So does that mean he's already reborn?!" he asked excitedly.

Yemma waved him down. "Calm down, Goku, you never know when a reincarnation will take root, or where it will happen. For all you know, he could be reborn as an Arcosian halfway across the universe. However…" he continued upon seeing Goku's face drop, "considering the fact that his soul was cleansed on Earth, I say the odds of him being reborn there are considerably higher."

Goku's smile returned almost instantaneously, and bigger than ever. Yemma chuckled. "You're quite easy to please, you know that?" he commented.

"Yup" Goku said shamelessly.

Yemma chuckled again as his business face slipped back on. "Alright, Goku, I have a lot of work to do, a lot of damage to recover from now. I'll need you to head back to Grand Kai's world, however, before you go, can you visit the holding cells Hell's denizens are staying in and bring Zangya to me?"

'Uh, Zangya?" Goku asked.

"A female with blue skin and poofy orange hair" Yemma described. "A member of Bojack's space pirate group, or should I say, a former member. I'd say that what she did earlier warrants a relocation on her behalf."

"What did she do?" Goku asked.

"She made sure your son survived long enough for Janemba to even get there."

* * *

 **Kame House**

* * *

"You sound like you already know the answer to that question, Videl" Krillin said slowly.

Simple words, yet they resonated towards her core. He was right, her heart knew the answer, but nonetheless, she needed to hear the confirmation. "Just tell me" Videl said in her usual boosy tone, though the demanding part was slightly lessened.

Krillin sighed. "Well, Videl, I'm not sure what you want me to say. My answer? Yes. But then again, the fact that you still check if it's a 'trick' make me worry how you'll accept my stance." He shrugged. "Then again, I caught some of your attitude on the force. I doubt you'll take me at my word, and all of you have managed to put off anything we do as a trick this far along, why should I think it changed?"

"I-"

"Krillin, things seem to have settled" a cold voice called over. She turned around and the tall thin woman, 18, if she recalled correctly (an odd name for a person), was standing in the doorway. Behind her, inside the house, Sharpner was up and stretching. "City should be clear, and it feels stable enough by now."

"Already? That was fast" Krillin said, slightly shocked. "You would think that things would be a little unstable for a little longer after a literal reality rend."

"I'm not sure, but the Earth's energy is stable enough for now. The city shouldn't be in danger any longer" 18 said.

"Excuse me? Reality rend? The Earth's energy?" Videl asked. "What are you guys even talking about?"

18 glanced at Videl, then back towards her husband. "Krillin, did you explain everything already?" she asked.

"Heh, well, to be fair, 18, we've only had a minute or two out here" he noted. "I mean, we didn't think we'd be going back for hours, after all."

18 sighed. "Fair enough. Videl, we'll answer what you've got later, but for now, it's time we get you back." She cocked her head to the side. "After all, we don't want to incite a panic when one of the most influential children on the plan disappears after an apparent 'terrorist attack,' do we?"

" _Damn, that's a good point"_ Videl begrudgingly admitted. If the people didn't notice her absence themselves, then her father probably would. Either way, there would probably be a panic, accusations, and all sorts of other fun stuff to deal with. Even if it was only for a little bit (she doubted she'd still be on that island by the time the afternoon rolled around) after the situation today, they didn't need anything else, even temporarily.

She let out a sigh, bringing a faint victorious shine to 18's eyes. "Krillin, grab her friend. Make sure he's not retching anymore either, it's a twenty minute flight back to Satan City and I assume you don't need him puking on you on the way?"

"Heh, good point. How about you guys take off, and I'll catch up?" Krillin asked. "Besides, I need to thank Roshi before we take off anyways, since we don't live here anymore, it was nice of him to let us take refuge."

18 shrugged. "Sure, whatever, just don't lag behind too far" she said before turning back to the daughter of Satan. "Climb on."

"But wait, I still haven't-"

"No buts, we're getting you back" 18 cut her off, turning around.

Videl looked mildly pissed at getting cut off like that, but she climbed onto 18's back without another word. The platinum blonde turned to look back at her. "I'm assuming I know where you live. And the other kid can direct my husband to where he needs to go?" When she got a nod in response, 18 looked satisfied. "Alright, hold on. I don't plan to go fishing today."

Videl's grip tightened instinctively as the nearby air became supercharged, making her skin tingle, and there was a rush of wind as the two blasted skyward, into the murky cloud layer. The cold air slapped her face, and she tightened further as the g-forces tugged at her.

It wasn't until a few moments later that the cold and the wind left, leaving the flight much warmer and less turbulent. As they ascended past the clouds, and left the stormy lower world behind, the clear air higher up surrounded them.

"There are no wires" 18 told her.

Videl flinched, not expecting any sort of conversation. After all, the blonde woman didn't look like the sociable type. "What?" she asked.

"I said that there aren't any wires" she repeated. "Your family's always going on about tricks, right? Go ahead and check for wires if you want, if you want your proof."

"Why are you-" Videl began to ask.

"I could tell Krillin didn't have the time to give you any of the answers you wanted" she stated simply. "And with normal people, they need to feel something before they'll believe it. I hazard a guess that you're the same way." Her tone changed subtly. "Besides, if we're gonna keep you from bothering us again, we're best off giving you some answers now so you aren't hounding us for more."

Videl frowned slightly at the accusation that she would do it, but allowed a small blush to grave her face as she realized the likelihood of her tracking them down later. Keeping a tight grip on her only anchor, she moved her other hand, and quickly waved it over, meeting no resistance.

"I honestly don't know how your father considered wires a viable reason for explaining flight" 18 commented as Videl sat back down. "I mean, does he expect everyone who does this to have some sort of silent invisible hovercraft that the wires are hanging from? I'm not sure how, but people seem to eat it up."

She waved her hands out to the side. "Also, there isn't exactly a lot of room to put any sort of fuel source for his backup excuse of hovertech." She lowered her arms. "Honestly, that man gave me more than a few migraines over those last seven years… I swear, I'm not sure how most of the planet buys into his reasoning, but it doesn't give me much hope for the human race."

There was a twinge of annoyance inside of Videl as she heard 18 essentially call the majority of the planet idiots. "Hey, we aren't-"

"Gullible?" 18 cut her off again. "Let me ask you something. If you hadn't been but twenty feet away from what you saw today, would you have even questioned the world you knew in the slightest? If everything was a _trick_?"

The word 'trick' was punctuated with the blonde raising an arm and launching a small, yet heated blast down through the clouds and into the briny turf. An explosion launched the water almost as high up as they were, to the point where the mist grazed past Videl's side. The cold eyes of 18 turned to lock with the shocked ones of Videl. "Not everything is always as it seems, no matter how obvious it appears. You don't need to answer the question I asked, but think about it."

18 turned her head back forward as their pace picked up a little. "I hope that's enough to convince you to not hound us for more. We don't stay out of the public eye for kicks, after all."

Videl snapped out of her stupor. Grounding herself, she nodded, though 18 couldn't see. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry. Thank you, uh… do you go by anything other than 18?"

"Little bit of an odd name, huh?" 18 asked. "I used to go by Lazuli, but that was a lifetime ago. I'm just 18 now."

" _Kind of an odd option to change your name to"_ Videl noted. "Well, thank you, 18, I appreciate you giving me some of those answers."

"Just keep from making this some huge public deal and we'll call it even" 18 said. "And hold on, we're getting close to Satan City."

Her brow furrowed. " _How can we already be so close? I mean, Satan City isn't close to any ocean I know of… just how fast were we flying?"_ Her doubts were laid to rest as the cloud layer ahead broke briefly and she saw a glimpse of a distant building. Their flight descended through the clouds, and as they emerged beneath, they got a much clearer look.

And Videl's chest was seized tight. "W-what happened here?"

The outskirts of the city looked almost pristine, and from a normal perspective, the city would probably appear normal, minus the lack of any people. But from their bird's eye perspective, the majority of the city was at her scrutiny.

Like the outskirts, working their way in, most of the buildings were fairly good, maybe with some chunks missing, but relatively small damage. But nearing the city center, well, it was unrecognizable. At least three blocks of space looked like they were all but completely reduced to rubble, frail remnants of once powerful structures remaining. Entire sections of buildings, in a straight line radiating out from the destruction, were in a similar state, as if a massive wrecking ball had been swung through.

Outside of the city center and the surrounding area, the damage was quite minimal, but the sheer destruction caused in that one location…

"It was a pretty big fight, something like this was bound to happen" 18 said, shaking her out of her shock. "You should consider yourself lucky it's only this bad. Sometimes, the destruction from battles like these are almost bad enough to level cities entirely, and the surrounding areas."

"Like with Cell…" Videl murmured.

"You've got it" 18 affirmed. They began to descend lower, and Videl recognized the shimmering gates of the Satan Manor quite a ways away, well off from the central destruction of the city. She glanced over her shoulder as they lowered. "Your friend will be here in just a moment."

Videl followed 18's gaze, but saw nothing. "How do you know?" she asked.

"A woman always does" 18 said, her neutral tone keeping Videl from guessing whether or not she was joking.

The pair set down on the ground rather lightly, and Videl clambered off. She was a little off balance for a moment, from the altitude change, but she was adapting back rather quickly. She took a glance at the mansion, and it seemed rather devoid of life. She hoped that the staff managed to escape the city during the chaos…

Which also brought up the question, where did the entire city leave to? Mass crowds of people would probably have stuck out like sore thumbs…

Her thought process was interrupted when Krillin and Sharpner touched down right before them with hardly a sound, admittedly causing her to jump a bit. Sharpner hopped down from the man almost half his size who carried him, looking still a bit spooked, but overall doing well.

Krillin looked up. "Things really seem to have calmed down fast around here, eh 18?" He wiped his brow. "Things looked a little dicey there, we got off of this one pretty easy." He looked over at the duo of teenagers. "Things should be safe for now, so we'll leave you two to it. After all, we've got to go back and get our daughter."

18 seemed to be looking around, intently, as if listening for a sound. How tense she looked probed Videl to high alert, her stance reminiscent of looking for a hidden enemy. But instead, she settled in a direction and relaxed. "It seems like most of the city took refuge to the west" she said. "They should start making their way back soon. I think everyone managed to get out alright. If there were any casualties, they were minimal."

Seeming satisfied with themselves, Krillin and 18 began floating back into the air, jarring the pair with how effortless they looked. "Wait, how do you guys do that?" Sharpner blurted.

"Ask Videl, I debriefed her" 18 said plainly. "And please, try not to need any more rescuing until the next major catastrophe."

The pair had zipped back into the sky before either of them could even formulate a response. A gust of wind nearly blew them off their feet as the vanished into the sky, heading back the way they came.

Sharpner patted himself on the cheek. "No, I'm awake. That means we really just flew here on the backs of a policeman and his wife… whoa."

The city was silent, an unusual experience. Even in the inactive hours of night, there was usually some sound, but now, there was nothing but the wind blowing through the empty streets.

Perhaps it was this lack of any other distracting stimulus that let it click in Videl's head. What correlation had been bugging her that she had been missing.

"So, Videl, what do you think we should…" Sharpner began to ask, stopping himself short as he caught a glimpse of Videl's face, which was stormy enough to probably even make Cell himself flinch back a bit. "Uh… Videl?"

She looked up at him, anger not leaving her eyes. "Let's wait around here for a while, Sharpner" she said. "I don't want to miss my father when he comes back." Her gaze darkened. "I need to have a few words with him."

* * *

" _Damnit, kid, I thought your mind was stronger than that!"_

Gohan's eyes snapped open, his breath catching fast. The voice had been so loud in his head, it might have come from right next to him.

"Damnit, brat, took you long enough to wake up."

Gohan jumped again as he looked over to the origin of the voice, and stopped in shock when the least likely person he ever expected to find in his room was sitting across from him. "V-Vegeta?!" he asked.

"I hope you didn't hit your head hard enough so that you forgot someone you've known since I came to this planet" Vegeta said, face remaining impassive.

There was a stiff pain as Gohan shifted, and looked down to bandages binding his left arm. He looked back up in surprise. "No, but, I mean, what are you doing in my room?" Gohan spluttered.

A world-class eye roll was his response. "Honestly, do you think I don't have better things to do?" he asked. "Repairing a totaled gravity chamber comes to mind." Gohan flinched slightly at the directed blame in Vegeta's tone. The prince followed up with a low sigh, however, and looked at Gohan more seriously. "However, there's a certain event of the battle that I need to cover with you."

Vegeta jerked his thumb in the direction of Gohan's hips, prompting the young demi saiyan to look down. The sight he was greeted with surprised him, though he remembered it almost immediately. His furry brown tail undulating slowly behind him.

Gohan gulped slightly, the appendage feeling so alien to him. He sat up and concentrated on it, trying to will it to curl around to his front, but he couldn't get the tail to do more than twitch vaguely in the direction he wanted to move it.

"Your muscles aren't trained there" Vegeta's voice called him out of his focus. He glanced over as the prince followed his tail. "It takes some practice to get much motor control over a Saiyan's tail."

Letting this digest, Gohan abandoned attempting to move it through will, and simply pulled it around, a powerful tingle running through his body as he held it directly.

Vegeta sighed again, and leaned back. "You're the first Saiyan in a while to have their tail. Your father lost his long before we even arrived on this world. Mine was cut off shortly after I myself arrived. And by the time your younger brother and my son were born without them, mine and Kakarot's bodies having adapted to being tailless for long enough that it affected our offspring. So, I figured it was only my duty to instruct you."

"Instruct me?" Gohan asked.

"You're supposed to be smart, brat, yes, instruct you" Vegeta grumbled. "I should at least let you know the basics of your tail so you can adapt, unless you want it cut off again." He grimaced. "But I warn you, having it severed when you are young is a far less painful experience than it is when you've matured more."

Gohan gulped and looked down again. As alien as his tail was to him, there was no denying that it _was_ a part of him. He could feel every nerve, muscle, all of it, all attached to him. And quite honestly, he wasn't hot on the idea of having another kienzan slice through it.

"I figured as much" Vegeta said, reading Gohan's expression. "Now, what do you know of your tail, brat?"

Locking eyes with the prince, Gohan recited what he had told Turles he knew when the other Saiyan had asked. "Well, they house some of a Saiyan's power, they're weak points, and have something about them that makes them respond to blutz waves for Great Ape transformations, right?" He paused. "And they also have some sort of hormone glands inside them."

"Better answers that I could have expected" Vegeta admitted. "It's true, if a Saiyan regains their tail, they will be slightly more powerful than they were without it. Tails can also serve as weak points due to the sensitive nerve endings there, the ones that respond to blutz waves. But you can train to rid yourself of that weakness, as your father discovered with me." He looked at Gohan again. "Of course, you realize you'll have to be very careful on nights of the full moon now, it would be troublesome at this point for you to gain any sort of control over your Oozaru form. And yes, a Saiyan's primary hormone secretion is in their tails."

"That's more than likely the reason you half breeds came out so calm. I'm sure you can tell, natural Saiyans have natural battle lust. The other two never had that input to their bodies, and you lost it before you were mature enough for it to really start producing for you." He scowled slightly. "It didn't help that your human half was also working against your Saiyan one."

Gohan paled slightly as a thought struck him. "Wait, that doesn't mean I'm going to become-"

"Like a proper Saiyan?" Vegeta asked. "No, I wouldn't go that far. Hormones only work so much against one's personality, and you have trouble hurting a butterfly unless it's a threat to humanity" he added with a scoff. "You may have some slightly Saiyan tendencies, but I wouldn't worry about that. You're far too soft to act remotely like you should."

While it was meant as a backhanded insult coming from Vegeta, Gohan could breathe easier with that knowledge. "Thanks Vegeta" Gohan said graciously.

"Tch, it's only my duty, I don't need your thanks" Vegeta huffed, standing up. He gave Gohan a once over, and locked eyes with him. "All I can say is that you'd better train it if you're going to keep it. As I recall, even your uncle, as trained as he was, had a major weak spot with his tail. While it gives you power, it also makes you vulnerable until you take the necessary steps." He took a thoughtful post for a moment. "As I recall, the best way to train your tail, besides normal exercise, is to expose it to physical stimulus until the severity of the reaction to it begins to fade."

"What kind of stimulus?" Gohan asked.

With a smirk, Vegeta answered. "Grab it and squeeze as hard as you can. The more often you can do it and the more pain you get from it, the faster your tail will adapt."

Gohan blanched slightly at the rather painful sounding method, even if it made sense, like building up an immunity to a toxin over time by ingesting non lethal doses. Getting over his discomfort at the thought, he nodded. "Alright, thanks Vegeta."

"I already told you I don't require your thanks" Vegeta barked back, making for the window to Gohan's bedroom. He stepped onto the sill, and stopped momentarily. "You are welcome, however."

And with that, the prince took off, force of his launch scattering papers from his desk across his room. He sighed at the mess, but at the same time, didn't figure much less. He laid back down, trying to ignore the pain in his left arm. The limb was still mostly unresponsive, and if the empty feeling in his shoulder was any sign, he likely still had a clean pierce wound right through it.

" _You know, I've rarely ever hurt my right arm"_ Gohan thought. " _But my left arm sure has been a glutton for punishment."_ Whatever piercing attack Janemba had managed, with those energy darts, it cleaved right through the bone, muscles and ligaments in its way. He had a few more minor wounds down his legs, but nothing beyond some basic flesh wounds. They hurt, but didn't impact his ability to function at all.

His door suddenly burst open, and he jumped in shock, much to the discontent of his arm. A fuzzy orange bullet shot into his chest, and his mom following close behind. What little breath he had taken was squeezed out of him by the tag team, his brother bawling while his mother fretted over him.

"Can't… breath…" he wheezed out, which gave him a little space, but not a lot. He tried to regain his breath, but it was long and hard work to do so. He was still a little groggy and processing Vegeta's advice on his new… attachment, so it all passed like a blur to him, Chi Chi working rapidly to change his bandages while Goten cried about how worried he was. Considering what kind of shape he was in now, he probably didn't look great when he first got back.

However, his mind was wandering. Between the foggy haze of his exhaustion and the influx of new information, there was something he couldn't get off his mind…

" _Damnit, kid, I thought your mind was stronger than that!"_

" _Where have I heard that voice?"_ Gohan wondered. It sounded so vaguely familiar, yet he had no idea from where. It was almost like, well, his dad's voice, except deeper and with a gruff edge to it.

He was snapped out of his thoughts, when his name was called loudly. He glanced over at his mother, who was looking at him worriedly. "Huh?" he asked. "Sorry, what Mom?"

"Honey, are you feeling okay?" Chi Chi asked. "I've been talking to you for a while now."

Gohan scratched his head with his good arm. "Heh, sorry Mom, I'm just thinking, and a bit tired."

Chi Chi gave him the firm, motherly once over. "Well, I was wondering how long you were thinking it would take until you could fly."

Gohan raised his eyebrows at the odd question. "Until I can fly?" he asked. "I mean, probably tomorrow, if I can rest enough to just get some energy back, it doesn't take much to float. Why?"

She stood up and crossed her arms. "Well, I was thinking, your friend Dende, he could fix you up. I mean, you and the rest of you who fought Buu used up your Senzu Beans, right?" When she got a nod, she continued. "So, I'm sure your friend could spare some time from his duties to fix you up really quick. It doesn't make sense to leave you like this when he can help."

Gohan recognized the reason she was asking if he could fly now. Goten couldn't reasonably carry Gohan all that way, and his mom wasn't able to fly. Only he could get himself there and back, and it was a pretty good idea. But before he could voice a response, they were all cut off by a new voice.

"I'm afraid that will not be possible for now."

The trio jumped in shock as their eyes darted to the window, where Mr. Popo had managed to sneak up on them. He was floating on his magic carpet, peering in at them.

"I was on my way once I sensed Vegeta leave, I apologize for startling you" Mr. Popo said sincerely. At least, Gohan thought it was sincerely. Popo didn't speak with more than one tone, really.

"Uh, no problem" Gohan managed, heart racing a little. "What are you doing here."

"And what do you mean it won't be possible?" Chi Chi asked, an air of cool anger around her. "Gohan's friend has fixed people in seconds before, hasn't he?"

"I came here on Dende's behalf" Popo said. "He asked me to check on you, now that the battle is over." He placed his hands behind his back. "Unfortunately, he cannot be helping with the aftermath. He is otherwise occupied at the moment."

"With what?" Gohan asked, the aura of his mother becoming tangible.

"The villain that showed up really did a number on this world" he explained. "Right now, the dimensional walls are very brittle and unstable." His face morphed into the simplest of frowns. "We don't know the exact status, but Dende is using his abilities as Kami to hold the earth's barriers intact, otherwise, we may end up in a situation not unlike what Majin Buu attempted when he fought the fusion of your father and Vegeta."

The memory was vague, but Gohan remembered a vague attempt by Buu, where he had tried to shatter the dimensional barriers, crushing their reality between alternate ones. His stomach knotted slightly at the thought that right now, their world could be directly underneath a press, waiting to fall down and flatten them.

"You understand the stakes" Popo noted. "We are unfamiliar with situations like these. The frail structure of our barriers may not result in anything catastrophic should they fail. They may not fail at all. It may take Dende hours to fix them, it may take him weeks, or even months."

Gohan let it sink in. "Well, we probably shouldn't bother him then."

"To avoid risking a worst case scenario, that would be wise" Popo nodded. "He sends his regards and his regrets at not being able to assist with your healing process. He does plan to let you know the moment he is available, however, it is not his wish to leave you to natural recovery when he has the ability to assist."

"I understand, Popo, tell Dende thanks, and good luck."

"I will, Gohan, and good luck yourself, with your healing."

The carpet levitated up past the window and out of sight, ever silent. With Popo's ki so low at the moment, and the lack of noise, it was no wonder that he was able to sneak up on him.

Gohan sighed and leaned back. "Well, it looks like Dende has his work cut out for him" he said, gauging his mom's reaction. She had mellowed out ever since the defeat of Buu, but she still had a tendency to get a little unreasonable where he was concerned.

Luckily for him (and Dende) she seemed to be understanding the rationale behind the situation. She set back to finishing his bandages in silence, which allowed Gohan to relax once again.

Though not completely…

" _Damnit, kid, I thought your mind was stronger than that!"_

" _What was that voice?!"_

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

 _Tick, tock…_

Videl paced back and forth along the floor.

 _Tick, tock…_

Hercule cleared his throat uncomfortably, the tension in the air was tangible.

 _Tick, tock…_

Videl stopped pacing, and looked up, her expression stormy, and locked eyes with her father. "Dad…" she said lowly.

Hercule looked nervously at his daughter. "Yes Pumpkin?" he asked.

"I have a couple questions for you" she said slowly. "I saw some things today… and I want answers from them." Her face hardened. "You know, one of those things? I saw one of my classmates _die_ today, in a ball of fire that hit our school."

Hercule blanched. "Videl, I'm so sorry you had to see that-"

"I'm not done yet" Videl said sharply. "Later on, when I went into the city to fight the terrorists, you know what I saw?" Her father obviously had no clue, so she dropped the cryptics. "I saw that same classmate, fighting off a giant group of monsters. And you know what monster was at the front of the line? _Cell!_ "

"W-what?!"Hercule asked, unfreezing. "But that can't be, Cell is gone, he's dead!"

"Not by your hands though, was he?" Videl engaged.

Hercule looked gobsmacked, as if Videl's question struck him physically. "Videl…" he began to say.

"I listened, you know" Videl continued. "Cell wanted to fight that classmate of ours. A guy named Gohan." Her father flinched when she mentioned the name of her… of Gohan. She didn't even know if she could call him a friend anymore. "Cell said he was going to fight him, but why? He said, and I quote, 'A chance to get revenge on you for destroying me.'"

Her father's eyes filled with despair, but she didn't care. "You lied" she said bluntly. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. "You lied about destroying Cell, you lied to the whole world." A painful burn formed behind her eyes. "You lied to me" she spat.

"Videl, listen, I-"

"Save it, Hercule" Videl said, refusing to even acknowledge him as her father anymore. "Just tell me one-"

"It was him."

Videl blinked, not expecting her father to have spoken again. "What?" she asked cooly.

"Gohan is the one who did it" Hercule confessed. "He… he took out that monster, and then disappeared. I mean, I didn't even know if he had survived until recently. And, the whole time, I couldn't believe what the tricks had done-"

"Tricks?" Videl asked.

Hercule gulped. "T-that's what I thought they were" he stuttered out. "At least, back then. I didn't know what to do when, well…"

"Enough" Videl said sharply. She wasn't appreciating the prickling feeling behind her eyes, so she wheeled away from her father. "I've heard enough." She began to walk away, fingering her pocket to locate her capsule. Satisfied that it was on her, she entered her room and pulled down a bag.

" _I can't believe, all this time, he lied to ME!"_ Videl screamed internally. " _The planet is one thing, but to his own daughter?!"_

While she questioned her father's ability to sleep at night, she threw together a basic bag of necessities, packing it full and zipping it closed. Satisfied, she dragged it out and made her way back down through the entrance hall, once again passing her father.

Of course, the rather large suitcase didn't go unnoticed. "Uh, Videl, what are you doin-"

"I'm leaving" Videl said bluntly.

"L-Leav-"

"Yes, leaving" she snarled. "I don't know when or if I'm coming back, but I wouldn't wait up for me. The one thing I DO know is that I can't be under the same roof as a man who fed his daughter nothing but lies for a solid seven years." She turned around before he could say anything else. "Don't try to stop me."

Her father was struck dumb well enough that there was zero resistance on her exit. Digging in, Videl tossed her capsule on the ground, her jet copter expanding into reality with a plume of smoke. She chucked her bag in the back before jumping into the cockpit. Starting up the vehicle, she let the engine warm up briefly, giving herself a moment to boot up the communications system.

"Call Sharpner" Videl spoke clearly.

The response was the buzzing as the call attempted to connect. It only took two rings before the burst of static told the story. " **Videl?"** Sharpner's voice crackled through.

"Yeah, it's me. Where are you at?" she asked.

" **I was on my way to check up on Erasa. I just got done with my folks, why?"**

Videl pinched the bridge of her nose as the information she was processing ran through her mind. "I'm on my way out. How long until you get to Erasa's, do you think?"

" **Probably about five minutes, as long as none of the streets are blocked off, why?"** Sharpner asked.

Videl kicked the brake off and took to the air, rising above the roof of the mansion looming behind her. "Wait there, I'll be swinging by too. I've got some things I need to tell you two."

 ***CLICK***

* * *

 **Kami's Lookout**

* * *

The carpet floated silently through the still air. That was the thing about the lookout, there was almost never any breeze at this height. While Popo may have longed for one on some of the hotter days, it was rather peaceful for it.

The distant platform of the lookout was growing rapidly nearer as he made the vertical ascent. Among the serene blue, you wouldn't have known that the world was struggling to keep itself whole at the moment.

" _Which is something that needs checking on"_ Popo thought as the carpet pulled level with the precipice. Stepping off, the carpet flew back towards the temple situated in the center, while Popo's attention was turned towards the edge, where a lone figure stood.

The slightest trace of a frown graced Popo's usually unchanging face. He looked so alone out there without Piccolo by his side. He stepped across the tiles, walking over to the young Namekian. As he neared, he took note of his posture. His head was hung slightly, his muscles tensed in concentration. He had a tight grip on the staff in his hands. While he didn't seem it, Dende housed much power as the Kami of the planet, and Popo could feel the exertion of that power increasingly as he neared.

"Why hello, Dende, how is the task?" he offered as he stepped up beside him.

Dende's eyes opened briefly as he glanced at Popo. "Heh, it's pretty tough" Dende muttered, chuckling under the strain. "H-How's Gohan?"

"He has come out of the situation better than we could have hoped" Popo said warmly. "He's not in the greatest shape, but he's far from permanent damage."

"That's good" Dende said as he closed his eyes in concentration. "I'm… nnn… I'm glad he's okay."

"...Dende, is something wrong?"

He didn't get an answer, which worried the caretaker. "Dende?"

"I… It doesn't feel right" Dende works out.

Popo cocked his head slightly. "The world's energy has been unnaturally altered, it is, of course, not supposed to feel-"

"No, I'm not talking about that, Mr. Popo" Dende said. "There's… something. There's something on the other side, trying to break through. Something that-"

Dende let out a small shout and fell to his knees. Popo's eyes widened in shock, and he rushed over to catch the guardian. Dende righted himself fast, sweat beading. He got back into stance, energy streaming outwards, but Dende's posture was obviously different.

"Something… that got through" Dende gasped.

* * *

Vegeta froze in the air as his senses went haywire. A faint ripple rushed through the air, and a distant energy signature entered his radar. With his injuries, it was a struggle to stay in the air when he wasn't moving, but all the same, he remained frozen in shock.

"What… How… How is…"

Vegeta cut off his train of thought as his energy flared back up, and he changed his course towards a distant, fading energy signature.

* * *

An explosion rocked the landscape as an object careened to the earth, cratering the surrounding area as fire caught around it. Trees fell as their leaves caught fire and the ground beneath them cracked and shattered.

The light of the flames caught brightly off of shards of glass that littered the ground, shards that were snuffed out as a scarred hand scraped over them.

From the wreckage of the object, a lone figure emerged crawling along the ground, panting with every motion's effort. There was a long moment where the figure stopped moving, before a defiant cry rang across the landscape, and a single, large blast of yellow energy pierced skyward, shimmering like a beacon, before it faded, and no more sounds came from the clearing.

The figure collapsed as the fire spread, glinting off of the metallic yellow body of the crashed object.

* * *

 **And scene.**

 **This was a calmer chapter, mostly dealing with… Aftermath, as the title would suggest. Maybe not the plot relevance or dimension shattering fights we've seen so far, but I feel good with how it came out.**

 **Not much to say, sorry for the break. School's getting near the end and family life ain't getting any easier, which isn't much of an excuse, but it is what it is. But I hope you enjoyed what I managed. Speaking of, got any guesses to what the heck happened at the end there? Okay, yeah, you probably do, I'm not much good with subtlety, but at least I tried.**

 **Anyways, as usual, review answers before I sign off for good on this installment.**

 **Pentaholic-Scomiche - I'm glad you enjoyed my battles so much! I've still got some work on the slice of life side, but I know I'm decent with my fight scenes, and it's always heartening to hear when people enjoy them.**

 **Douggernaut - Managing to capture the essence properly? Well, that feels like a good achievement to me!**

 **Kaflaful - yeah, but I wanted to do Fusion Reborn justice, sorry about how long it took. And Zangya was never gonna be a permanent edition to the story, though she may pop back in later. She's definitely getting more than just sent back to HFIL, as Yemma implied.**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - heh, you caught that, eh? I'm juggling whether or not that's gonna be a world building reference on my part, or something I invest time into creating, I haven't decided yet, but I'm sure you'll see down the line.**

 **ILiekFishes - Buu was actually able to split and control individual bodies at one point during the Kid Buu fight, where he split into four and started beating up on Kid Buu. It also wasn't his own mind, it was just what Buu wanted to do, sending a piece of him with that goal while he kept distracting Janemba. Beyond that, I'm glad you enjoyed that. I'm a fan of world building, and Fusion Reborn is one of my personal favorites too!**

 **MindForgedMan - you haven't been around DBZ long if you think power is everything. Anyways, besides that, I have reasons for doing what I did. Fusion Reborn was a setup to the future here.**

 **Derraj - they knows of it for sure, but they never memorized the dance pattern**

 **Anyways, that's about all for now. Hope you all enjoyed, feel free to drop one of your reviews (Dende knows I love them!) and maybe follow it if you want to keep up, but anyways, we're done here. I'll see you next time when we keep moving beyond the flaming wreckage of this battle!**


	14. Chapter 14

**So we officially live in a timeline where Broly is canon, huh? Well, never thought I'd see THAT happen. Talk about your fanfics!**

 **Sorry for the wait, laptop had to go in for repairs, but here it is.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13 - Blast from the Past**

* * *

Bulma stepped back from her work, wiping her furrowed brow. "Damnit, Vegeta, can we go one month without this happening?" she huffed. Looking up and around, she could tell that she had a lot of work to go. While the robots were capable of clearing debris and putting the larger units and panels back into place, the smaller, finer work, like the complicated wiring were left to her.

Not that said wiring was actually complicated _to_ her, but there was a lot of it, and it was very time consuming to be climbing into the ceiling to put it back together. After all, she wasn't her husband or son with instinctual energy control, she didn't have the super strength or flying capabilities that they had.

Speaking of…

"MOM!" Trunks shouted, running into the ruined gravity chamber.

Bulma sighed. "One moment, Trunks" she grunted, climbing down out of the ceiling slowly. Carefully setting herself down, she turned to face her son. "Yeah, what's up?"

Trunks held out his hands, a phone sat in them. "It's Dad" he said quickly. "He said he needed to talk to you right away!"

Bulma arched an eyebrow. "Vegeta?" she asked. " _That's strange, Vegeta never calls, he's never once used the communicator I gave him. He either doesn't bother or waits until he's home."_

She took the phone from the young boy and brought it up. "Yeah Vegeta?" she asked.

" _Woman, ready two healing pods!"_ Vegeta shouted through the speaker.

Bulma hissed at his volume and brought the phone away from her ear. "Kami, would it kill you to keep it down or ask nicely for a chance?" she growled into the receiver. "What's going on, anyways? Why's there so much static?"

" _I'm flying, as fast as I can right now, woman, and it's imperative that you have those healing pods ready on my arrival!"_ Vegeta shouted back.

Bulma huffed. "Fine, Vegeta, but I'm gonna ready one more, because when I'm through with you you're gonna need one of your own!" she shouted back before ending the call. "Here" she said, tossing the phone to her son, who caught it deftly. She took a breath, brow furrowed. "I swear, either his highness is going to be the end of me or the opposite is gonna happen."

Trunks frowned thoughtfully at the phone. "Mom, didn't Dad sound a bit… I dunno, weird?" he asked.

"Define weird when it comes to your father" Bulma said exasperatedly.

"I mean, he almost sounded like he was really stressed about the pods" he said. "Dad never really sounds stressed like that, does he?"

Running a hand through her frayed hair, Bulma sighed. "You've got a point there, Trunks. I'm sure that whatever his reason, _and whatever his delivery,_ he has a need for them."

Trunks' eyebrow twitched, and he looked sideways, seemingly at the wall. "He's coming in fast, geez, I think he might be going Super right now" he said. He scrunched his eyebrows. "And… I think somebody's with him. Maybe that's why he needed the pods?"

"Yeah, but who would have Vegeta that desperate for help?" Bulma asked.

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

 **POP**

Swiping the now capsulized vehicle out of the air and jamming it in her pocket, Videl turned around just in time for a blonde-haired object to slam into her. Yelping slightly as she fought to maintain her balance, she pried Erasa off of her, carefully as to not hurt her friend.

"Geez, Erasa, you know I'm fine, so why are you so ecstatic to see me?" she asked as she began to regain the breath that was squeezed out of her. She shrunk a bit, however, when she got a closer look at her friend.

With reddened and puffy eyes, and tear-streaked cheeks, Erasa locked eyes with Videl. "I-I'm just glad that a-a-at least you got b-b-back alright…" she hiccuped.

" _At least I got back…"_ Videl began to think, before mentally facepalming. " _Of course, she doesn't know about Gohan yet! Videl, you freaking moron…"_

She raised her hands and pulled her friend back into a hug. " _Sharpner doesn't seem to be here yet"_ she noted as the blonde cried into her shoulders. " _So even if he planned to talk to her, she hasn't heard yet. Well, I've got more than a couple of revelations coming at them…"_

As if responding to her mind, a clear voice rang across the street. "Hey, Videl, Erasa!"

Pulling away from Erasa slightly, Videl turned to face the other blonde running towards them. Maneuvering around some debris left in the street, Sharpner bounded towards them, coming to a stop. He backed up a bit when Erasa detached from Videl and threw herself at him. Not knowing what to do, he held her awkwardly, and looked up at Videl, and mouthed 'you haven't told her?'

Videl shook her head. Releasing Erasa a moment later, Sharpner gave her a significant look. "So, uh, Erasa, we… We have some news."

Erasa hiccuped and looked between the two of them. "W-what kind of news?" she asked.

Videl pulled one of her ponytails around and toyed with it a bit. She didn't know how Erasa would react, but it would be cruel to hold it off for long. "Well, we were in the city, and we saw… a lot of things there."

"And one of them was kind of, er… surprising, to say the least" Sharpner said.

" _Okay, if this keeps going, we're just gonna beat around the bush until there's no bush left to beat"_ Videl realized. "The point is, while we were in the city, we, ah… Saw Gohan… Alive."

The moment that followed seemed like it took an eternity to pass. An incomprehensible number of emotions flashed across Erasa's face in quick succession, not unlike how Videl guessed they had looked after seeing him for themselves. Her legs wobbled, and Videl took in a sharp breath. "Sharpner!" she barked.

Reacting as fast as he could, Sharpner caught Erasa as her legs collapsed beneath her. She hadn't fainted, which was a plus, but the news was something hard to swallow. "A-alive?!" she croaked, coughing to clear her throat. "How-"

"Yeah, that's the other thing…" Sharpner said, chuckling softly. "Brains is kinda, sorta… Saiyaman."

" _A bit more than that…"_ Videl thought dejectedly, remembering her part of the news, but that would come out in due time. For now, she had to worry about Erasa's reaction.

Erasa looked a little dumbstruck, and she stumbled a little more, Sharpner shifting to keep her from hitting the ground. "Gohan is…"

"Yup, the caped dork is the class geek" Videl said. "And that explosion that hit the school didn't… well, you know… kill him. Last we saw him, he was doing pretty well."

" _Yeah, but he was also surrounded by monsters, wasn't he?"_

" _Shut up, me."_

Erasa let out a breath, and though she was obviously still a victim of the day's stress, the faintest smile graced her face. "Gohan was Saiyaman… well, I guess all those bathroom breaks make sense now, heh heh…"

"You shoulda seen him out there" Sharpner said. "He was, just so fast. I don't know how he did it, but he was fighting a bunch of monsters at once and just batting them around. It was wicked!"

"Yeah, he's really fast and really powerful" Videl said. "Inhumanly so."

"Speaking of human speed and power…" Sharpner said. "Where did your dad say he was… at…"

He faltered as the expression on the black haired girl grew downright thunderous. "I guess that's as good of a segway as any…" Videl muttered, glancing up and down the street. Most people were inside, embracing their homes still being intact, but she didn't want to take any chances. "Guys, come with me" she said, pulling her recently pocketed jet copter back out and tossing it back down.

She crawled into the pilot's seat, with Erasa hopping into the passenger seat and Sharpner squeezing into the back seat behind them. She flipped a few switches, and they took to the air, slowly rising over the rooftops. She glanced back. "Sharpner, when we were on our way back into the city, did you catch a glimpse of it from above?"

"N-No…" Sharpner said, a bashful tone to his voice. "I was kinda, not looking around."

Videl took that to mean that he had his eyes closed and was hanging onto that Krillin guy for dear life during the flight. "Guys, what I'm about to tell you, you can't share with anyone else" she said seriously. "But first, you guys need to see this."

Depressing the gas further, they shot higher into the air, soaring above the surrounding buildings. Videl turned the copter slowly in the air, until she had it directed just where she wanted. Erasa let out a small shriek, and Sharpner inhaled sharply himself. She couldn't blame them, the destruction of central Satan City hit her like a blow to the gut too, and she had already seen it.

"How…" Erasa whispered.

"What the hell happened there?!" Sharpner exclaimed.

Videl sighed. "Listen, I don't know all the details, but I learned a few things today, and pieced together a few others" she said slowly. She set the vehicle to hover in place, after all, up here, there was no risk of being overheard.

"What we saw earlier gave me suspicions, the two we met in the city earlier, Krillin and 18 supported it, and… my father confirmed it" Videl said. "You know all those tricks that the old fighters in the Cell Games and old martial arts tournaments?"

"You mean those explosions and stuff?" Erasa asked.

Erasa wasn't so much of a fighter as Videl and Sharpner, but hanging around with them, she at least had a basic knowledge. Videl nodded, and with a glance to the back seat, she could see the apprehension in Sharpner's face. " _He knows where this is going"_ she realized.

"Well, they aren't tricks."

That was the bombshell. Of course, in her present company, it didn't have as big of an explosion. Erasa didn't realize the significance, and Sharpner had his own growing suspicions from earlier. Of course, defying her opinion of his mental capacity, Sharpner very quickly pieced something together.

"But wait. If they aren't tricks, then how did you dad beat Cell?" he asked. "I mean, if they aren't tricks, like you said, then that means what Cell was doing was real. How did he-"

"He didn't" Videl cut him off.

Now that one hit much harder. Both of them looked absolutely shocked. Dumbstruck, Erasa was the one to find her words first that time. "But… isn't he the world savior?" she asked. "I… this city is literally named after him, isn't it?"

"He didn't beat Cell" Videl said again. "He just took the credit for Cell's downfall."

"But how was Cell defeated then?" Sharpner asked, very fast.

Videl sighed. "My dad told me…" she paused, steeling her nerves to continue. "He told me, that he took the credit for Cell's defeat… at Gohan's hand."

 **THUD**

Videl and Erasa started as Sharpner stood up rapidly, forgetting about the confined space and smacking his head on the ceiling. Bouncing off of it, he fell back into his seat, clutching his head, but his eyes couldn't have been more focused as he looked back. "Wh-What?!" he yelped. "You're saying BRAINS defeated Cell?!"

"G-Gohan is… He's…" Erasa seemed to have trouble finding her words.

Videl pinched the bridge of her nose. " _Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself"_ she thought. "Listen, we saw Gohan with some real power out in the city, so we already know he's stronger than he looks." Sharpner nodded in confirmation as Videl took another breath. "My father confirmed it, but, even besides that, don't you remember what we overheard?"

Sharpner looked confused for a moment, before recognition dawned on his face. "He… He said he wanted revenge, on Gohan, for killing him" he recalled.

"I wasn't sure what to make of it before" Videl said. "But all it does is support what my dad said about it. I mean, what reason would Cell have for saying Gohan killed him, and taking revenge on a highschool kid, if he didn't have that reason for it? Besides being a monster, I can't-"

"Wait" Erasa said, cutting her train of thought off abruptly. "What are you talking about, Cell said that?" she asked. "I mean, whoever killed him, they _killed_ him, didn't they?"

Videl was struck silent by that piece of seemingly obvious insight. " _She has a point"_ she realized. " _Cell would have been terrorizing the planet if he was just left defeated. My dad claimed he was no more, and didn't say Gohan accomplished otherwise."_

Sharper and Erasa chanced a look at each other before looking back to the raven-haired crime fighter. "Uh, Videl?" Erasa tried. When no reaction was given, she reached over and shook her friend's shoulder. "Videl?" she tried again.

Videl started and looked back up. "Sorry, yeah…" she said. "I'm not sure about that. Actually, I guess there's a few things I'm still in the dark about."

Sharpner rubbed his head where he hit the ceiling and leaned back. "Kami… what are we really even getting into? I mean, just now, I can see some sort of worldwide conspiracy, who knows what else?"

Videl blinked. "I know who" she said suddenly, leaning over and working the computer installed into the cockpit, beginning to input information. Sliding a finger across the screen, she stood back as she had pulled up what she wanted. "If he's still alive, he seems to be the center of all this, right? I'm sure he can fill us in."

On screen before their eyes, was all the information listed in the police database, for one Son Gohan.

* * *

 **Capsule Corp.**

* * *

Bulma stepped back as the greenish blue liquid began to fill the pristine which machines. One other machine in the room was less than pristine, rather, it was smeared with the blood of a certain moody Saiyan royal, but luckily, there were a dozen pods at ready. She liked to be prepared, after all. She was no warrior with planet shattering attacks like the rest of them, but at least she had the tech smarts to provide support. And it was nice to be able to at least help them recover after they get beaten an inch from death by living bubblegum or whatever threat comes next.

She had them filling not a moment too soon. The tanks were nearing half full when a dull rumble shook the compound, the tables rattling and Bulma stumbling a bit to regain his footing. "Do I need to install a parachute in his suit to make him slow down when he's landing?" she griped. "Honestly, at this rate, he's going to shift the Earth so much he makes this a fault line!"

As the machines continued to fill, the floor began rattling again, much less than before, but still noticeable. Bulma sighed as she stood to the side, making sure to clear the door and the filling pods. After all, she didn't want Vegeta's tunnel vision to go right through her.

She was acutely aware of a yellow glow shimmering against the metallic walls, growing ever more visible by the instant, a telltale sign of the approaching prince. She saw the dart of movement appear around the corner, and she let out a breath. "Well Vegeta, are you finally ready to fill… me… in…" the words died in her mouth.

Vegeta had two figures slung over his shoulder, his spiked hair a glowing blonde, and breathing hard. One of them, Bulma thought looked vaguely familiar, a rather young woman in navy clothing and black hair. She couldn't quite place the memory.

Her heart stuck in her throat at the other one, however. She'd recognize that unruly mop of silvery lavender hair anywhere. Dressed in an extremely weathered and damaged blue jacket, she saw-

"T-Trunks?!" she exclaimed.

Vegeta showed no sign of acknowledging her as he rushed forward. Kicking the tops off of each pod, he laid his future son down on the ground. Reaching down inside the first pod, he grabbed the breathing mask and wrapped it around the young woman's face before stuffing her inside the pod and shutting it. Reaching down, he grabbed Trunks and repeated the process, until he was safely floating in the fluid within.

Once the second pod was shut, Vegeta stepped back. He let out a low grunt as his hair darkened and his body shrunk. There was a light sound of feet hitting the floor, and Bulma realized that he had been floating the entire time. As he hit the ground, he let out a grunt of pain, favoring his left leg, which had a clean hole pierced through it, the surrounding fabric slightly bloodied. He glanced over. "Woman" he acknowledged.

Bulma was still gaping at the figures within the tank. "V-Vegeta… How…"

Vegeta sighed. "I don't know myself and I don't have the time to figure it out right now" he said, sounding slightly agitated. "There's a wreck out where I found them, and I have to go try and salvage it."

"A wreck?" Bulma asked.

"The contraption he used to get here before" Vegeta said. "That damned time machine crashed pretty badly, but I couldn't carry both of them back here and do anything about it. I'll be back soon."

Bulma blinked as Vegeta turned around. "W-Wait, Vegeta, I-" she as silenced as Vegeta grabbed her and pulled her in a deep, quick kiss, essentially muffling her.

He pulled away with a smirk. "I'll be back in a while. Trust me, with this thing, I don't want to be out long" he said, gesturing at his leg. "Trust me, we should be safe for the rest of the day at least."

He floated back into the air and took off back out the door without another word, leaving it swinging on its hinges in its wake.

* * *

"Are you sure you can't come?" Videl asked.

Erasa smiled sadly. "As much as I'd like to go, just to see him with my own eyes, I was lucky I was allowed outside just to talk with you" she said. "My parents are kind of… overprotective. Especially after today, they don't want me out of their sight."

Sharpner crossed his arms. "I guess it means they're really looking out for you. My parents love me and all, but they don't keep much of an eye on me. As long as I check in every now and then, I could probably leave for a couple weeks and they'd be fine with me watching myself." He shrugged. "Sorry, Erasa."

"It's no problem, I'm really just glad that you guys know he's okay" Erasa said. "Just let me know what's going on when you get back, alright?"

Videl gave the blonde a thumbs up. "Of course, you know we will" she affirmed. "We'll see you soon, just stay safe until everything's more stable around here."

"Don't worry, when I see trouble, I don't run headlong into it like you" Erasa said teasingly as she turned towards her house. "See ya guys later" she waved.

"Yeah, later Erasa" Sharpner said back.

As the door shut, Videl's face dropped. "Well, you ready to head out out, Sharpner?"

"Yeah. How far out is Gohan's place again?" he asked.

"According the database, his place is a good two hundred and fifty miles out. It would be a good three hours into the mountains on ground, but since we're going as the crow flies, we could probably make it there in a little over two, as long as there's no heavy winds." She paused as she looked up. The sky was heavily clouded, but it wasn't quite storming. Not yet, anyways. She glanced at her watch. "It's about one right now, so we can probably get there sometime nearing three thirty. Spend a couple hours looking for Gohan's house and talking to him, and we can make it back before dark completely falls."

Sharpner looked at her, eyebrows raised. "What?" she snapped.

"Uh, nothing, it's just, you've really thought this through, and we only came up with it a few minutes ago. You're really, about this?" he asked.

Videl huffed. "My father lied to me and so did Gohan. He made his way into our group with so many secrets he was keeping, some of them directly affecting us! I mean, how could he just waltz in like that knowing that-"

"Uh, Videl?" Sharpner asked, flinching as her eyes narrowed.

"What?" she asked, the annoyance evident in her voice.

"Uh, well, this may not be the right time to say it" he started. "But really, it only directly affected you, not the rest of us, didn't it? I mean, beyond the shock about your father, you know, that, you were really the only one this really affects that bad."

"So you're saying it was alright for him to keep secrets that large from us?" Videl asked.

"I mean, keeping secrets isn't good, but look at it from his perspective. I mean, if Brains has all these powers normal people don't have, then wouldn't he be worried about being called a freak or whatever because of them?"

Videl huffed as she started up the jet copter. As the rose into the air, she looked back over. "If he really considered us friends, he would have told us" she reasoned.

Sharpner blinked before laying back. "Videl, I'm not exactly the smartest one in the group, am I?" he asked.

Videl snorted. "Your point?"

"First off, ouch" Sharpner said. "Second off, Gohan's been enrolled for like 3 weeks. He's barely a part of the group. I tease him, you're constantly pestering him, Erasa's flirting with him, and he just puts his head down and tries to ignore it." He crossed his arms. "He only kinda knows us and has been hanging out with us for a while. How come I'm able to see that, but you can't?"

"…" Videl stayed silent as they began flying forward.

Sharpner leaned back in his chair and made himself comfortable. It was up to be a long flight, and the supercharged tension in the air told him that if he pushed it any further, Videl might eject him from the aircraft mid flight, something he would prefer to avoid. He kept his mouth shut, wisely, and prepared for a long, boring flight out into the mountai-

 _ **WHOOOOOOOOOOSH**_

Just as they were clearing the city line, a dart of light roared past them. The aircraft spun as the two inhabitants cried out in alarm from the harsh turbulence that struck them. Alarms were blaring in the cockpit, and Videl was cranking hard to right themselves in the air. With a sense of whiplash, they were pulled back into a stable flight, both of their hearts racing.

"What the hell was that?!" Sharpner yelped.

Videl blinked, trying to clear her vision. She jerked her head to what had nearly clipped their wings, but it was already fading in the distance, nothing but a disappearing yellow glow. One flying in the very direction they had been going. "I don't know, just one more thing to ask about, I guess…" she muttered. Pushing down on the gas again, they took off, leaving Satan City behind as they made to fly up into the 439 Mountain Area.

* * *

Vegeta glanced back to make sure that humans didn't crash to the ground and die. He didn't get beaten to death and back to make sure the damned Namekian Dragon could revive them just to be the reason some of them died. Satisfied when they leveled out, he continued on his flight.

He was hurting. His pride wouldn't let him admit it aloud, but that fight with the demon had taken a lot out of him, and that injury in his leg wasn't a normal one. It had practically spliced a clean hole through his leg's flesh and bone. But he had suffered worse, and he could rest after he attempted to salvage what was left of the wreck.

Gritting his teeth, an electrical surge of energy buzzed around him, and his speed dramatically increased as he ascended. " _The sooner I get this over with, the better"_ he hissed inside.

He hadn't gone Super Saiyan 2 while he was carrying Trunks and the other woman back to his home. The energy of any ascended forms was rather erratic, as the bolts of energy were indicative of, and he didn't feel like risking damaging them even more in an apparently critical condition. But now?

He arrived at the location in half the time it took him before. The fire was still spreading, and Vegeta swore. He lined himself up with the inferno, extended a hand, and unleashed a wave of force with his energy. The force crashed through the trees, uprooting some of the weaker ones and making the sturdy ones groan, but they stood, and the force of his _kiai_ dispersed the flames. Satisfied, he descended into the woodworks.

It didn't take him long to find the crash site. After all, it left a pretty damn massive crater where it was. The machine itself had seen better days, he noted, as he approached. The glass on the cockpit had shattered, one engine had apparently exploded, as it was nothing but thin scraps of charred metal left, while two others appeared damaged, but salvageable. Various parts of the body were warped by the inferno it had been left in, but it mostly retained its proper shape.

Setting down, he looked down inside. Finding the one object he had been expecting, he reached in and grabbed it by the hilt, retracting the blade. He made to set it to the side, but paused briefly. The sword was quite similar, yet it was a different blade. He ignored it after noticing it, and set it to the side.

Bending back down, he looked deeper inside, and saw a few bags, a couple of which had spilled open and spilled their contents, while the others remained sealed, as well as a rather advanced firearm. After retracting the second weapon, he dragged the sealed bags out before rebagging the spilled contents. There wasn't much, some clothing, first aid supplies, some other basic necessities, a few books and letters, and the last thing was a rather intricately designed ceramic object, it appeared to be some sort of instrument.

Once everything inside was repackaged, he grabbed the machine and dragged it upright. He scoured the surface of it until he found the panel he was looking for. Flipping it open, he tried to remember which one, and hit a button, getting lucky and making the machine disappear in a flash of smoke. When the cloud cleared, the tiny capsule was laying in the dirt, then scooped up.

Stuffing the capsule into one of the bags, he slung the sword and the gun over his shoulders on their straps, and hoisted the bags that had been inside up. Satisfied, he took to the air and began his flight back to his home.

" _What are you doing back in this time, Trunks?"_

* * *

"Why can't you find out what's going on?"

" _I dunno, all I know is that mom told me to stay out for now. It seemed like her and Dad were really freaked out about something"_ Trunks' voice came through.

Goten frowned. "I thought nothing scared your dad, he's too busy scaring other people."

" _I know, right"_ Trunks asked. " _Anyways, I can feel two people in there. One of them seems decently strong, the other's barely any stronger than normal people. The first guy actually feels kinda familiar for some reason, but I dunno-"_

"GOTEN!"

"Oops, sorry Trunks, my mom's calling me" Goten said. "Talk later."

He hung up before he got a response, after all, he didn't want to keep his mom waiting. He ran towards the sound of his mother's voice, skidding to a stop in the entry hall. "Yeah mommy?" he asked, looking up.

Chi-Chi finished fastening a button on her jacket then looked down at her youngest. "Goten, I'm about to put my trust in you" she said. "Gohan's hurt and needs help right now, okay?"

Goten cocked his head to the side in confusion. "But aren't you helping him?" he asked.

Chi-Chi sighed. "I was, but I just got a call from Bulma. She's in a bit of a panic right now and needs some support" she explained. "As much as I want to take care of Gohan, well, I hate to admit it, but he's strong enough that he doesn't need me. However, I want t make sure he still gets some help in case he needs it, so can I trust you to help your brother out?" she asked.

Goten let it sink in for a moment, then smiled wide and nodded vigorously. "Yeah, sure thing!" he chirped. "I can help Gohan!"

Chi-Chi smiled in relief. "Good, then I don't have to leave him alone. Now, I'm trusting you, so don't let me or Gohan down" she said warningly. Crouching down, she reached out and pulled Goten into a hug. "I'll see you soon, there's dinner on the table and some in the fridge in case I'm there a couple days, just pace yourself so your brother can eat too?"

Goten nodded as his mother released him and stepped towards the door. "Okay, goodbye, Goten" she said.

"Goodbye mom!" Goten waved after her as she pulled the door open, a cold burst of air flying in from the heavy winds outside. The gust only lasted a moment before Chi-Chi closed the door behind her, leaving Goten alone inside.

A moment later, the engine of the car started, growing steadily louder until it began to distance itself, the sound rapidly fading as his mother drove off. Remembering what he had said he'd do, he ran back through the hall, arriving at his and Gohan's room. He gently eased the door open and peaked inside. He cocked his head to the side as Gohan's eyes were closed, and his breathing soft. "Big brother?" he loudly whispered, getting no response from the elder of the two.

Leaving his brother to sleep, he eased the door shut again and backed off. "Hmm" he thought, wondering what he was going to do. He began to walk towards the living room with the intention of calling Trunks back, but then remembered what his mom said about having prepared a bunch of food. The drool was pooling in his mouth almost instantly. " _I can just have mine right now and leave enough for Gohan"_ he thought. He nearly sprinted towards the kitchen, visions of the food in his mind, stomach growling, and as always, his mother didn't fail to disappoint. He hadn't eaten that long ago, but the scent always made him hungry.

Dishing up a small amount (a larger plate stacked almost a foot high) he began to get ready to tear into it when a rather loud banging interrupted him. He hopped down and ran to the front door, where he had heard said banging. He reached up and eased the door open a crack. "Hello?" he asked, having to squint slightly as the stronger winds rushed right into this face.

"Goten?" a familiar feminine voice asked. Goten perked up, because while a normal person would have trouble hearing the voice over the gale, his sensitive ears had no issue.

He threw the door open. "Lime!" he chirped happily.

A young woman stood before the door, fair skinned and with long brown hair tied in a ponytail. She returned the young Demi Saiyan's smile. "Yup" Lime said, reaching down and touseling Goten's already messy hair. "What's up, buddy?"

Goten groaned and pulled back, batting Lime's hand away. "C'mon, Lime, why'd you do that?" he pouted.

"Why are you asking? You know how cute you are" Lime teased, relenting. She let out a breath and looked around. "So Goten, is your brother around?"

"Yeah, but he's asleep right now" he said. "He got hurt today so he's resting up right now."

"Oh, I knew it!" Lime exclaimed.

"Knew what?" Goten asked.

Lime sighed. "I knew there was something happening today, and I was worried that Gohan had gotten right in the middle of it."

"Wait, how'd you know?" Goten asked, curious.

Lime huffed. "I'm your brother's best friend, so I know him, and I felt the planet shake and everything felt off. I took a guess and came out here." She looked off down the hall. "How bad is it?" she asked.

"He looked kinda bad when Mister Vegeta brought him back, but Mom helped bandage him and stuff, so he's better" Goten said. "He had a lot of cuts though… It was kinda scary."

Lime looked relieved. "So he got pretty damn banged up but nothing more than he's had before" she summarized. "That's a relief. I was worried he was gonna be in worse shape than he was after that space pirate guy those years ago."

"Nothing can keep my big brother down for long" Goten laughed. "Even Buu wasn't much to him!"

"Aha, I knew you guys would be tangled with Buu too" Lime said triumphantly. "That buffoon took Gohan's credit this time too, eh?" she said less amusedly.

"Daddy was actually the one who beat Buu. He was really awesome about it!"

Lime blinked. "Wasn't your dad… never mind, I'll check with Gohan after he's feeling better, if he's wanting to." She laid a hand on the door knob. "Have your brother call me when he wakes up, alright?"

"Why don't you stay, Lime?" Goten asked. "I mean, Mom says your basically part of the family, right? Do you have to go back right now?"

Lime paused for a moment, before removing her hand from the doorknob. "You know, that would be pretty cool" she said. "Hanging out with my favorite little guy and being able to see Gohan when he wakes up" she said, chuckling as she finished as Goten looked abashed at her 'favorite little guy' comment. "Yeah, sure, I'll hang around for a while. My folks know where I was going, anyways."

"Heh, awesome" Goten said. "Do you want something to eat?"

* * *

Vegeta huffed as he dropped the sacks onto the ground, finally allowing his power to fade and his hair to dim to black. He let out a growl as he kicked open another pod and stepped inside of it. Mashing the inner control panel, she dragged a mask onto his face and sat down as the fluid began to fill the tank.

Bulma sighed and walked over. "So, Vegeta, are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Vegeta leaned back, hitting the back of the tank as the cool liquid began to wash over him. " _To be honest, I don't know much about this"_ he said, voice echoing through the pipe. " _There was some hell demon earlier that me and Kakarot's spawn fought, really nasty creature."_ He waved towards his leg. " _Had some odd attacks that pierced me clean through. Anyways, I dropped the kid back off after the battle had ceased, and felt the boy's arrival one my way back."_

"I don't think you can call him a boy anymore" Bulma said, glancing towards her future son's pod. "He's a young man now."

" _Tch"_ Vegeta scoffed. " _Whatever you want to call him, I have no knowledge of his reasons for being here. That's something I plan to figure out when he awakens. For now, let me sleep, woman, there's not a lot to do while holes in my flesh and bone refill themselves, after all."_

"Jerk" Bulma huffed. "Do you want me to wake you up when Trunks gets up too?"

" _If it's no bother, yes"_ Vegeta said. " _...Thank you, Bulma."_

Bulma huffed again, but let a smile grace her face. "You're welcome, Vegeta" she said. She stepped away from the pod, falling into a nearby chair. " _Certainly not how I expected today to go. Usually we at least have a couple months between potential cataclysmic events. At least this one was over fast."_ She looked off towards each. " _Vegeta, rest up. Trunks, I hope you aren't in any trouble."_ She still had a feeling that she recognized the last person, the woman that Vegeta brought back alongside Trunks, but she was unable to place it. " _Later, I can wait for them to wake up later."_

* * *

"Uh, Videl, are you sure we're in the right place?" Sharpner asked. "Because I don't see anything but forest and fields anywhere for… ever, around here."

"Trust me, this is the place" Videl affirmed, turning in the air. "We're right in the center of the 439 mountain area. His place should be somewhere around here, I'm 100% sure."

Peering out the window, the two of them scanned the landscape. "He really does live out in the middle of nowhere…" Sharpner muttered.

A dull boom of thunder roared through the sky, causing him to jump. "Uh, do you think we should still be up-"

"The storm isn't on top of us yet, we still have some time up here" Videl maintained. "We can keep searching, and besides, we have no idea what the area is like down there, I'd rather not take that chance until we have to."

Sharpner looked vaguely uncomfortable. "I… Yeah, that's a good point. But at least we can run from wolves or any animals down there. Kind of hard to outrun a lightning bol-"

An ear-shattering explosion followed the sky lighting up, blinding the inhabitants of the cockpit. The two of them shouted out in shock as the air became supercharged with static, two of their senses temporarily overloaded. "I THINK THAT'S OUR SIGN TO LAND!" Sharpner shouted over his half deaf ears.

Videl didn't waste time with a proper answer, immediately descending as fast as she could manage. Spots dancing in their eyes, Videl growled as the copter jerked and spun, a harsh cracking sound filling the cabin before the entire aircraft was shaken by a rough landing. "HOP OUT!" Videl ordered as she threw her own door open. Her vision was still a little blurry, but she maneuvered around the vehicle and found her control panel. Feeling for the familiar buttons, she jabbed the one she was looking for, and felt the entire thing disappear beneath her hands.

Her vision began to clear just as Sharpner slumped against a nearby tree. "A little… just a little too close for comfort" he panted.

Videl was inclined to agree. The weather had changed rather rapidly as they ascended into the mountains, more than she had realized. All around them, the trees were groaning underneath the force of the gale, and the sky boomed with thunder. She counted her blessings that it hadn't actually started raining yet, that might have been overkill. Not that she couldn't handle it, but she rather wouldn't, given the compounding circumstances.

"Yeah…" Videl agreed, rubbing her eyes to clear the remaining spots. She glanced around, trying to find anything that stood out, but she saw nothing but trees in every direction around them. Pulling out her phone, she found her map of the area, but she didn't have a signal that let her pinpoint _where_ on it she was located.

There were a plethora of words to describe what they were at that moment. Cold? Shooken? Yeah, both of those applied. But without the ability to re-open her jet copter in fear of it quickly becoming a world-class lightning rod, there was one phrase that leapt to the forefront of her mind.

"We're lost."

* * *

 **Otherworld**

* * *

"C'mon, Yemma, I know you have a lot of paperwork right now, but can't you just take my word on it for the moment and let him come with."

"Goku, you know the rules" Yemma grumbled. "I can't decide to let Piccolo go anywhere, above or below, ESPECIALLY as high as the Grand Kai's world, until I judge him. And quite frankly, I have enough paperwork to file as it is after the incident that just went down. Unless you and Piccolo want to go hang out on Snake Way until everything's resolved, I'm afraid I can't send him up until I'm caught up."

"But Yemma-" Goku complained.

"I AM NOT BUDGING ON THIS, GOKU" Yemma roared frustratedly. "You're just making it take LONGER by bothering me further on the issue."

Goku pouted. "Fine, fine…" he muttered. Breaking away from the gaze of the red giant, Goku strolled back down the hallway, locking onto the energy signatures of the other group waiting for him. Raising his fingers to his forehead, he vanished, and appeared before them instantly.

King Kai jumped. "Jeez, Goku, did you really have to Instant Transmission just that far? You nearly gave me a heart attack, was that necessary?"

Goku cocked his head to the side. "Uh, how could I give you a heart attack if you're already de-"

He was cut off as the pudgy blue god appeared in front of him, frowning. "I wouldn't finish that, Goku" he said annoyedly. "After all, who's fault is it that I'm in this situation?"

Goku rubbed the back of his head abashedly. "Right, sorry King Kai. If it makes you feel any better, I'm close to having enough credits to have Grand Kai get you a new planet! It should only take a few more weeks."

King Kai stepped back and huffed. "I'm still dead you know" he mumbled. His face twitched, and a small grin came upon his face. "That's good news, Goku. You may be kind of a dummy at times, but I'm grateful you spent all this time trying to fix your mistake."

"Mistake?" Piccolo asked.

"Did you never get told?" Pikkon interjected. "Goku came to this world with that cockroach of a biodroid as he was self destructing. It killed the North Kai, the inhabitants of his world, Goku himself, and the Kai's planet in the process."

Goku scratched his head a little harder. "I was just tryna save the Earth, you know, and everyone on it."

"And killing the god who watches your entire quadrant in the process…" King Kai mumbled.

Pikkon looked over to Goku. "Back to the point" he said. "Did Yemma give Piccolo here permission to join us on the Grand Kai's world?"

"Nah, not now, anyways" Goku said as he slowly frowned. "I think he's going to anyways, but he can't allow it until he judges Piccolo officially. He says he's kinda swamped right now."

"I don't envy Yemma's job right now, that's for sure" King Kai grunted in agreement. "Literally all Hell broke loose, it's going to take a while to straighten everything out."

"So training's postponed, I guess" Piccolo grunted.

"Hey, not necessarily" Goku said, traces of a grin creeping onto his face. "I know a way we can pass the time and get some training in until Yemma's ready."

Piccolo looked at Goku expectantly, while Pikkon looked exasperatedly at Goku. "Seriously? You go down to poke the dragon in the eye almost weekly, don't you think that's a little rude, even considering them?"

"Oh come on, they do most of the instigating" Goku laughed. "It's just good training to fight back."

"Care to enlighten me?" Piccolo asked.

With a sigh, Pikkon turned first. "Goku has a habit of diving into Hell for some, rather unfriendly sparring matches with most of the denizens down there. He shows up, they dogpile, and he claps them around for a good hour or so before making his way back up here."

"It's kinda funny to watch, even if it's not politically correct to do" King Kai snorted.

"Fighting the likes of Cell and Frieza? Is that even wise, Goku?" Piccolo asked. "I thought if your spirit body was destroyed, you cease to exist. Isn't that what you told Vegeta?"

"Not entirely true, Piccolo" King Kai stepped in. "That's mostly just the case with a corporeal spirit body, one adjusted to be out in the real world, like what Goku and Vegeta used to fight Buu a while back" he explained. "I mean, I guess Janemba could have destroyed you too, but he was flipping the laws of reality on their head already, that could hardly be considered a normal circumstance."

"Even if one of them does you in, you really just… go into oblivion for a bit, then come back after a few minutes" Goku said, shuddering slightly. "It's not the most pleasant thing, it happened to me a few times early on, but it's still good training. Besides, whenever you're done, I can just use Instant Transmission to get us out of there."

Piccolo looked at Goku oddly for a moment, before closing his eyes and letting out a chuckle. "Always the battle jockey, Goku" he remarked. Opening them, he locked eyes with Goku. "Spirit bodies have less strain, right? You said something about Super Saiyan 3 being easier in Otherworld."

"Mmmhmm" Goku nodded. "It's kinda neat, good for kinda learning how those harder things feel."

"Good" Piccolo replied. "That means I won't have to worry as much if I want to begin honing the Kaioken on those creeps."

"Oh, you've been putting my technique to work?" King Kai asked. "How's it been treating you?"

"I've really only used it the once, right before I came here" he replied. "Any fight I could have used it in, like against Frieza, or 17, I couldn't risk it. Buu was too powerful to even bother, the gap was too massive. I never trained myself in it much after leaving, and the power wouldn't have been worth destroying my body if I couldn't finish things." He clenched his fist. "But when I saw all those cretins appear on the Earth, I knew I couldn't hold back if I wanted to make a difference. I caught a bit of why Goku favored it so much in the old days. If I can master it, perhaps I can be more helpful in any future battles."

"Heh, people always underestimate me" King Kai said, a hint of ego shining in his voice. "Just because I'm not that strong myself doesn't mean I can't cook up some real humdingers."

Piccolo nodded to King Kai, then looked to Goku. "Let's do it. It'll be good practice, and I have a feeling smacking a couple of the bastards who killed me around is going to be pretty cathartic right about now."

* * *

 **Capsule Corp**

* * *

 _Tap, tap, tap_

With a grunt, Vegeta's eyes cracked open. Through the thick greenish-blue liquid, he saw the distorted face of his wife looking down at him. He smacked his fist to the inner side of the chamber, allowing the fluid to begin to drain. As the healing serum lowered past his eyes, his vision cleared, and he was able to see the detail of his wife's face more clearly. His own brow furrowing, he locked eyes with her. " _What has you so bothered, woman?"_ he asked, voice echoing through the pipe.

A distressed Bulma sighed. "Trunks woke up a little bit ago, but he rushed out. I don't know what happened, or where he's going" she said. "Vegeta, you need to find him and figure out what's up. You know I can't-"

Cut off by the sudden flood of healing fluid and the crack as the dome was forced open while it was still locked, the gust of wind and splattering of liquid buffeting her as Vegeta shot out and took off sprinting down the hall.

Minor scrapes were all that remained of his prior injuries, nothing that could begin to impair the Saiyan prince's movement. The new yet familiar energy wasn't as far off as he was led to believe by Bulma's worries. In fact…

Vegeta burst from the hallway, onto the expansive grounds of the Capsule Corporation facilities. Floating through the air, he alighted down near the lake, his arrival sending gentle ripples across the surface. Peering into the water, without glancing…

"Trunks" he grunted.

"F-Father…" the young man kneeling beside him muttered.

Scowling, Vegeta turned and looked down. "Pick yourself up, boy, you're disgracing your heritage in such a position" he barked.

"I'm not worthy of it" Trunks muttered.

His scowl deepened, and he grabbed the back of the youth's jacket. "I told you to get up, no son of mine will lower himself to such desolation. Put aside your emotions, and rise." He released his grip, letting Trunks fall and catch himself on his legs. "Now, what has you down in the dirt?"

The future demi Saiyan tightened a fist at the question, and you wouldn't have to be an energy sensor to detect the power swirling beneath the surface. "Calm yourself, boy" Vegeta said warningly.

"Father, I was too weak" he grunted, falling to the ground and sinking his fist into the mud on the edge of the lake. "I was too weak, and everyone paid for it…"

"Weakness is not something to lament" Vegeta said sharply. "You shouldn't mourn your weakness. You use your weakness as motivation to shed it, nothing more. That's what it means to be of royal blood. You're not weak. You're just not as strong as you can be."

With every word, the chaotic force dwelling within Trunks began to simmer and calm. The shaking receded, and he let out a breath. Pulling himself back up, he rubbed his eyes, before nodding, whilst not quite facing Vegeta. "Thank you, father" he said.

"Hmm" Vegeta grunted. "Now, do you want to fill me in? If not what your emotional breakdown was about, I think knowing why you're back again would be sufficient information to ask for."

Trunks shifted, his hair moving ever so slightly, revealing a rather nasty looking scar beneath the mop, almost directly over his right temple. "Like I said…" he said, voice dejected. "I was too weak to protect my world."

"So you need to grow stronger again, then" Vegeta shot. "You require the strength to defeat this foe as you needed for the Androids in your time."

"No" Trunks said. "I can't… Can't…"

"Can't what, boy?" Vegeta asked. "Spit it out."

"Strength won't help me, not any more" Trunks said as his voice broke slightly. "It won't help me save my world. My world… it's gone."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "Gone?"

"A monster attacked my world" Trunks said. "We thought we had time to prepare, but it wasn't enough. It arrived, and obliterated anything. There's nothing left."

Vegeta turned to face his son completely, face betraying surprise. "Then why are you here?" he asked.

"It was the last wish of my mother" Trunks said, coughing slightly as his voice broke again. "She sent me and my partner back to live, while everything… everything burned."

Vegeta grimaced. "We got lucky here. Majin Buu almost did the same to our world-"

"It wasn't Majin Buu" Trunks said.

Vegeta blinked, and blinked again. "What? You defeated Majin Buu?"

Trunks shook his head. "I stopped his resurrection. I was able to keep Dabura and Babidi from going through with their plans, and took them down before they could awaken him."

"Then what monster could have-"

"Please" Trunks said, raising a hand. "I don't want to remember… that _thing_ yet." He shuddered. "I lost everyone and everything I ever knew…" He rubbed his shoulder. "We only got away because, someone who had already lost more than I, gave his life to let us escape."

Flashbacks of his life under Frieza's rule darted through his mind, proving a shudder to run through his own body. "I understand" he grunted. "Take the time you require to tell us about this monster. Hopefully, it's one we've already felled, and we don't have to worry about in the future." Raising an eyebrow, he took a more inspecting look at his alternate timeline son. "Speaking of the future, how come your machine wrecked? I was under the impression that time travelling was decidedly less violent."

"Honestly, I don't know" Trunks admitted. "We were aiming for… well, I hope we're in the right time, anyways. Anyways, once we jumped past our time, we neared here, and there was an anomaly. We made it through, but barely intact, there was something wrong with the universal fabric around here that really made it a challenge."

"Janemba…" he growled.

"Uh…" Trunks looked at his father oddly. "What?"

"Just this morning we got done fighting a demon who was warping reality" Vegeta said. "His presence may very well have been the reason for your crash landing. It was a good thing we obliterated it when we did."

Trunks nodded, before his eyes widened a bit. "Wait, the crash, I need to go back to it. We have-"

"Nonsense, boy, I already recovered your belongings, and the time machine" Vegeta told him. "They were lying in the recovery room, which I assumed you missed as you stormed out."

"Oh…" Trunks simply said, abashedly.

Vegeta jerked his head back towards the compound. "Come now, the woman was fretting over you. Besides, this time, I'm sure our version of you will be old enough to want to meet you. Besides, I assume you'll want to check on the one you brought with you."

* * *

 **Mount Paozu**

* * *

"Hey, do you smell that?"

Videl shot Sharpner an annoyed glare. "The rainstorm brewing above us, that ozone smell from the lightning, or the overwhelming pine scent?" she asked.

"No, not that" Sharpner shook his head. "I think I smell… smoke?"

"Smoke? It's too stormy out for there to be a forest…" Videl slowed as she realized what he was saying.

"In this area? I don't see a fire, so that must mean-"

"There are people nearby" Videl finished, taking a deep breath of her own, and indeed detecting the faint scent of smoke on the air. She turned about, trying to find which direction it was coming from. "I think it's this way."

Working their way through the natural maze that made up the wild regions of Mt. Paozu, the pair followed the scent of smoke lingering in the air. They were lucky, not encountering any dangerous wildlife, though much of it had likely taken shelter during the fierce windstorm. As the scent grew stronger, the trees grew thinner, and a light shone through them.

"Hey, there's a house there" Videl noticed. The structure was almost spherical in nature, with various offshoots forming a more classic building size. "I think we found him!"

"I don't care if it's his place or someone else's" Sharpner admitted. "I just want to get out of this mess."

Internally forced to agree with Sharpner, the two of them pushed ahead, emerging fully from the trees and walking across the clear plains leading up to the house. Her legs began to feel heavier after their long hike, but she was more than capable of pushing the rest of the way, until they were right before the front door.

Sharpner looked around the frame. "No doorbell" he noticed. "I guess we knock?"

Ahead of her blonde friend, Videl reached out and rapped her knuckles smartly against the wooden door, her sharp knocks ringing out across the empty area. Stepping back, she and Sharpner cleared the doorway, and watched it intently. A moment passed, and nothing changed.

And another moment.

And another…

Sharpner frowned. "Is anyone even in this place?" he asked.

"There's smoke" Videl reminded him.

"I mean, yeah, but maybe they just wanted to keep their place warm. I don't see a car here, maybe they had to go somewhe-"

A creaking noise interrupted him, as light poured over them. "Hello?" a young, squeaky voice asked.

The two looked back to the house, and Videl started. "S-Son Goku?" she asked.

The young boy in the doorway could have won the award for the Son Goku lookalike contest. Save for maybe a slight change in proportions, he was a carbon copy of the younger Son Goku from the history books.

The kid in the doorway shook his head, a goofy, endearing smile adorning his face. "Nope, my name's Goten" he said. "What are you guys doing way out here?"

* * *

 **I can't help but feel I ended that a bit abruptly, but really, that's where I intended to end it all along. Oh well, I tried my hardest to make it a little less abrupt.**

 **So, yeah, Trunks is back! And he has a girl with him, one most of you probably recognize from her brief description. But, I want to make something clear right off the bat. They ain't here because of Black. Nope, there aren't any green body snatching gods screaming about ningens around here. I teased what happened, and while I tried to make it subtle… my attempts at subtlety haven't been the most subtle so far, heh…**

 **Anyways, yeah, laptop repairs and general business postponed this chapter for a while, but it's out now. Hope it was everything you hoped for, and even if it wasn't, I hope it was a serviceable holdover for the future.**

 **Trunkssan776 - your name leads me to believe you have certain interests that made it more obvious to you, but like I said, my subtlety lacks subtlety, heh heh.**

 **Tsukimine12 - not a foe, just a time travelling swordsman, so you know, normal stuff. And I'm not gonna say anything about the voice in Gohan's head for a little while, that has to do with the future.**

 **I'mAAnimeMaster - thanks, I'm glad you appreciate that. I'm not the best at creating massive, sprawling worldscapes, but I try where I can. He's a god, he has to have some abilities over ruling the planet, right?**

 **ILiekFishes - Heh, he just noted that something slipped through the barrier he was trying to hold together. The golden body was the time machine, Trunks was crawling out of it at the end of the chapter. So… I dunno, 2?**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - I never had major long term plans with Zangya, sorry to say. And don't worry, I've been thinking long and hard about the future of this story. Was it merely worldbuilding? Or was or foreshadowing…** _ **insert diabolical laugh here**_

 **Anyways, that's all for now. Reviews are my main motivation, so feel free to drop them down for the sake of my future chapters, and I hope you're sticking around if you're just starting out. Holy shit guys, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would land just shy of 1,000 follows, when we're not even close to halfway done yet! You're making me blush, honestly, I didn't think it was THAT good.**

 **We have a little more confrontation coming in the next chapter, and after that, we can start moving forward again. I mean, it's what, some time around noon in the story, for a day that started literally at the end of chapter 7? Half the story ago? Sheesh, sorry for dragging that out, hehe. We'll get moving soon, but you'll have to wait until then.**

 **So for now, all I got to say is, cya guys later!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 14 - A Whole New World**

* * *

For a small place way out in the middle of nowhere, it certainly wasn't what Videl expected.

The Son household was surprisingly normal. There was a fire burning in the fireplace to warm the place, a given with the massive storm raging outside, but beyond that, everything in their, you could probably find in any place in the city. A coffee table, a television set with a game deck. While it may have been normal, it certainly didn't seem like what she was expecting to find way out here.

She also didn't expect to find the spitting image of Son Goku in his youth leading them inside the house. " _Goten"_ she remembered. " _They must have a naming theme in their family. Son Goku, Son Gohan, and Son Goten."_

Of course, she didn't know for certain that this was Gohan's place quite yet, but she was all but sure. After all, there couldn't be that many houses out in the mountains around here housing obvious relatives of Son Goku, right?

"So what are you guys doing out here?" Goten asked, his voice just shy of a chirp. "You don't look like you're from around here, are you?"

"Goten, who's there?" a female voice called from the next room over, in what looked to be the kitchen.

" _That must be his mom"_ Videl noted.

"A couple people who were out in the storm" Goten called back. He looked back up at the two of them. "Uh, what are your guys' names?" he asked.

Videl blinked. " _This kid let us in without knowing our names…"_ she realized. It may have worked in her favor, but this kid was way too innocent. "Uh, I'm Videl" she answered the child.

"The name's Sharpner" the blonde next to her answered.

"Videl and Sharpner, huh?" the female voice asked, much closer this time. Footsteps rounded the corner, and when she came into view, Videl realized she had been mistaken about the source of the voice.

Unless his mother was a teenaged redhead, she doubted this was her. She had a critical eye on her as she looked them over, but she too was surprisingly nonchalant about two strangers in her home. Her eyes lingered on Videl, and for the briefest of moments, she felt scrutinized harshly, and then it passed as she moved to stand by Goten. "So, what are the two of you doing here?" she asked. "I'm guessing you aren't just lost travellers in those clothes."

"Well, no, although we did kinda get lost on our way out here" Sharpner chuckled. "We were trying to find a friend of ours, Gohan?"

The redhead raised her eyebrows. "Gohan, eh? What are you guys looking for him for?"

"We've got a lot of questions for him" Videl said bluntly. "And we know he has the answers."

Her response was a brief look of disgust. "Listen, Gohan's resting right now, and besides, he doesn't have to answer to you anyways." She glanced back and forth between the two of them. "If you're just here to nag him, which I can assure you, he doesn't enjoy at the best of times, and this isn't one of them for him, then I suggest you leave."

For her more nonchalant attitude, she was definitely far more wary of the two of them than the young boy in the room. "You're quite the overprotective big sister, aren't you?" Videl noted.

The redhead in question blinked. "Sis… I'm not his sister, but he's my best friend, and yeah, when he's laid up resting, I'll get overprotective when random people come tracking him down to bother him."

"Uh, Videl, maybe we should come back later…" Sharpner muttered.

Ignoring the blonde, Videl glared back at the redhead. "Listen, what's your name?" she asked.

"I'm Lime" Lime answered.

"Alright then. Lime" Videl said. "Gohan's been lying to us as long as he's known us, and today, we discovered the tip of the mountain he's been hiding from us. He owes us some-"

"Gohan doesn't owe you anything" Lime said, scowling. "Did it ever occur to you close-minded city kids that there might be reasons for someone to keep something to themselves, or not?" She crossed her arms, and for a moment, Videl could swear that the air itself became heavier, almost… Almost like the sensation she got on that street, her body tensing slightly from the pressure.

She saw an almost imperceptible glimpse of triumph flash across the redhead's face, and that's when it clicked for her. " _Whatever ability Gohan and all those monsters had, she must have it too"_ she realized. These real abilities that always used to be written off as theatrics, she could feel tangibly. Steeling her nerves against the instinct running through her from the sensation, she stood her ground. "When I learn that my entire life was built around a lie, that all that I am is because my father took credit for something Gohan did, then I-"

The sensation vanished from the air the next moment as Lime's face grew surprised. "Wait, come again?" she asked. "What about your father is…"

"My name is Videl Satan. My father is Hercule Satan" Videl said. "And today, I found out that everything I believed to be true in the world wasn't true. My father told me himself that he took the credit for Gohan defeating Cell seven years ago." Her emotions churned beneath the surface, but she didn't let it show. "Gohan not only let the world believe that lie, but got into our group of friends by lying himself. So, I'd appreciate it if I could go get the answers he owes me!" she finished with a dangerous edge to her voice.

Sharpner looked back and forth between the two women, obviously at a loss for what to do, while Goten looked uninterested. The tension was rising again, but not because of any weird powers this time. Videl's own intensity was weighing down the atmosphere.

With a sigh, Lime scratched the side of her head. "Sounds like you have a bit more reasoning than I thought" she conceded. With a light frown, she added "But still, I'm not about to let you go see him." At Videl's glare, she rolled her eyes. "It's not anything I've got against you, but Gohan's body is pretty messed up right now and he needs his rest to heal." Crossing her arms, she glanced back and forth between them. "So, what is it you guys know exactly?"

Sharpner, anxious to be able to contribute something to the confrontation, began. "Well, we know that Gohan defeated Cell, and he has all these crazy superhuman abilities."

"And apparently, all those 'light trick' excuses that my dad has been feeding the world for the past several years are false" Videl tacked on. "Whatever they are, those explosions and flying people, they're real."

There was a brief pause, and Lime cocked her head to the side. "Anything else?"

With a simultaneous nod from the two of them, Lime let out a small sigh. "Well, that's something I can work with a little bit, anyways."

"Work with?" Sharpner asked.

"What does that mean exactly?" Videl questioned.

"Listen, this isn't my place to illustrate Gohan's biography for you" Lime said. "But if I can give you a few answers, for what I'm allowed to answer, would you be fine waiting for Gohan on the rest of what he wants to share?"

"How do you know he would want to share anything?" Videl asked.

"Because I know Gohan" Lime said. "Simply put, Gohan doesn't enjoy keeping secrets, but he'll do it if he thinks people will be happier or safer without the knowledge" she shrugged. "Suffice to say, his world isn't the safest out there."

Memories of a shattered city center came to mind for both of the teens, as Sharpner paled slightly and Videl felt her resolve shake ever so slightly. But she wasn't about to let it go.

"Tell us what you can" Videl said.

* * *

A moment later, the three of them were situated in the living room, Goten having gone off somewhere after a brief talk with Lime off to the side. Goten didn't have many limiters and may potentially share something more confidential than what Lime knew was allowed. It was only fair, but Videl's detective side craved the potential information that was being lost right now.

"What happened at the Cell Games?" Videl asked, before anything else could be said.

"Gohan defeated Cell, that's all you need to know" Lime said simply. "What's next?"

"Wha- There's a lot more to it than that, I know that much" Videl pushed.

Lime sighed. "Listen, alright?" she said. "And listen well, because I'm only saying this once. I'm not sharing the details of the Cell Games with you for two reasons. One…" she said, lifting a finger, "I don't know all the specifics myself, because I wasn't there. All I know is what I've heard." Lifting her next finger, she continued. "The other reason is that it isn't something I want to talk about, nor something I think that Gohan will want to either."

Sharpner raised an eyebrow. "Why not? I would think if anything, Gohan should be thrilled he can share that he saved the world, right?"

" _Except Gohan's not like that"_ Videl realized. Still, she could understand the mysterious teen not wanting to brag about his past, but it sounded more like Lime was saying he was set against it.

"Gohan's not the type to want to brag about his accomplishments like that" Lime said, affirming her thought process. "I would have thought you'd know that, being his friend and all."

"Then something must have happened that day" Videl realized, looking at Lime for confirmation. "Something else big happened there besides Cell's defeat."

She didn't expect Lime to look a few shades short of depressed when she asked. "Again, I'm not going to betray Gohan by talking about it. What happened there is beyond personal and something that shook him to his core." Her voice felt genuinely hurt by the recollection. "He's more or less past it now, but it's still not a fond memory. Which is why I can't share it."

There was no faking the kind of emotion being displayed, which was enough for Videl to drop it. Before she could gather her thoughts, Sharpner led on. "Do you know why he let Videl's dad take the credit?" he asked.

"Honestly, that's an easy one" Lime said, leaning back. "No one of the real fighters at the Cell Games liked the spotlight in any way. Well, one of them does like it, but even he didn't want it that way. Letting Hercule take the credit seemed to be the most reasonable way to appease the world and let everyone live with the peace they wanted." She smiled a bit. "Honestly, they seem pretty happy. A few of us around here know the reality of the world, and they come through from time to time, and they're honestly a pretty cool group."

"Who all is in it?" Videl asked. Her disappointment rose when she was met with a shaking head from the girl across from her. " _Right, privacy"_ she griped internally. "Alright, fine then. What about those explosions and flying people and all that? My dad called it light tricks and theatrics for years, do you know what they really are?"

Surprisingly, Lime stood up as she asked. "I know the basics, anyways" she said. "Those lights, the explosions, the flight, they're all completely natural. Hell, feasibly, any living thing with a high enough intellect is capable of doing it."

"Doing what?" Sharpner asked. It didn't take a psychologist to pick up the undertones of excitement in his voice upon hearing that.

In fact, taking in the words Lime had spoken, Videl felt a stir of excitement to herself. " _Any living thing, huh?"_

Lime held one of her hands out in front of her. "Here's how Gohan explained it to me. You guys know those old religions that the Japanese and Chinese and, well, basically any civilization had with any superstition? They talked about spiritual energy, through a bunch of different names. Chakra, chi, mana, reiki, all of that?"

"Yeah, I think I remember hearing some of those things in history a while back" Sharpner admitted, much to the surprise of Videl. Catching the look she was giving him, he frowned. "Is it really that shocking that I paid attention in class?" he asked.

"Kind of?" Videl admitted, almost snorting at the look of betrayal she got from her friend.

"Ahem" Lime cleared her throat, catching their attention. "I'm doing this for you guys" she pointed out.

"Right, sorry" Videl and Sharpner answered together.

Lime sighed. "Anyways, all of those ideas were true. The modern name, at least the way we learned it, was that this energy was called ki. It's basically life energy existing in all living things, from grass, trees, snails, dogs, and yeah, people. Everything has it, and with the right knowledge and training, it can actually be harnessed."

Scrunching up her face in concentration, the air above her open palm sparked, shocking the two sitting across from her. Slowly, the sparks began to solidify, as a pulsing ball of light began growing in the redhead's hand, as the two grew wide eyed. Shaking her hand, the energy dispersed, as she looked slightly less energetic than she had before. "With practice, you can take your own energy and harness it in different ways. Gohan taught me some, enough to teach me how to fly, shoot some basic attacks, and power myself up physically. He wanted to make sure I was safe, since he knows the area around here can be dangerous." She took in a breath. "Still, it's not exactly a natural thing for me, and I haven't been practicing it as much as I could be, so it takes it out of me a bit."

Sharpner in particular looked more than a little hyped up. "So anyone can learn how to make those explosions and fly and stuff?" he asked excitedly.

"With practice and a bit of luck, yeah" Lime said, shrugging. "Gohan said it varies from person to person. Some people might pick it up in a day or two, others might have to train for a decade before getting the hang of it. It's luck of the draw, really."

Videl fell silent as she absorbed the information. She may have been a fighter at heart, but her detective work gave her a good brain to process this rapid influx with. " _That ball of light is energy that exists within all creatures"_ she remembered. " _It can be molded and harnessed, and that's how people like Gohan and the old World Martial Arts Tournament contestants were able to fly and shoot lasers and all those crazy things."_ She looked back up. "How strong is Gohan, really? How strong was Cell, too?"

Lime furrowed her brow. "Well, that's kind of a difficult question" she said. "It's not really easy to give a solid answer, because it's complicated." She smiled slightly. "Gohan isn't one to brag, so it's not really my place to tell you something outside of his comfort zone. Suffice to say, he's really strong."

" _That wasn't a very satisfying answer..."_ Videl huffed internally. "And what about Cell?"

"Weaker than Gohan."

Videl facepalmed. "Are you trying to screw with us at this point?" she asked.

Lime huffed, a trace of a smile inching onto her face. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say the two of you are decently smart" she said, glancing back and forth. "I told you, I'm not trying to push Gohan's comfort, but I know him well enough to know he's going to want to explain at least a few things, so I'm taking this off of his plate for him."

"What does that have to do with-" Videl began to ask, before the redhead continued talking.

"Like I said, Gohan isn't one to brag" Lime said. "The reason he didn't show anything? He was probably trying to blend in and be a normal teenager. Just because you found out he was hiding a few things doesn't mean you have to know everything down to the size of his underwear and exactly how far into the planet's surface he can punch." She wagged a finger. "And I'm being vague about Cell because, for obvious reasons, you could use that to get a read on Gohan, and probably more than one he'd be comfortable with."

Videl leaned back as Lime spoke. " _She's a lot smarter than I thought"_ she realized, cringing a bit at herself as she realized her prejudice towards the country gal.

"Could you give us something though? You've got us wondering now" Sharpner said.

Lime rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let me just say this. If he wanted to, he could probably take on anyone on Earth in a fight, and get away without a scratch."

" _Considering the fact that Gohan helped level half of Satan City earlier, she has to be downplaying him"_ Videl thought. Not that she didn't admire it to an extent, she was obviously knowledgeable about the territories she was stepping into, and she knew exactly where to draw her lines. " _That doesn't mean I'm not annoyed that I'm not getting any of the real details I want from her."_

But she knew that full on interrogating her wasn't going to get her any answers. She was too smart to slip easily, and she knew how to control this Ki stuff, which meant she was strong enough that there was no way to intimidate it out. Not that she was overly fond of the idea of intimidation to begin with, but it was a valuable detective's tool nonetheless to consider.

As she worked out the situation in her mind, Lime let out a yawn and stretched in front of them. "I think that's all you guys were asking about, yeah?" she asked.

Videl's head jerked back. "Wait, no, I've still got some more questions" she said. "What happened earlier today, what was Gohan involved in?"

"Heck if I know" the redhead said with a shrug.

"Hey, I thought you knew this stuff" Sharpner protested.

"I'm not exactly Gohan's mom or anything" Lime pointed out. "I wasn't even there. All I know is, some serious crap went down, and Gohan put a stop to it, or at least helped to. End of what I know."

"Well that's a whole lot of nothing" Videl muttered.

Sharpner frowned a bit to himself. "Something big, and you said Gohan is resting right now, yeah?" With a nod from Lime, he continued. "Is… Is Gohan okay?"

Videl's stomach dropped as Sharpner asked that question. Guilt flooded her system. Even if she wasn't quite sure what to think of the mysterious teen at this point, he was still part of their group, and she didn't even stop to consider his condition.

Hell, even without Lime telling them that something went down with Gohan in the middle, she saw him get trapped in an explosion and fight a literal army of monsters, with Cell at the lead.

"Gohan's… Well, Gohan's been better" Lime said slowly. "I know he took some bad hits, and he hasn't been awake since I got here a couple hours ago." She frowned. "Goten says he's perfectly fine, but that kid thinks his brother is some sort of god." " _Not that he's entirely wrong, Gohan is literally friends with Kami."_ "I don't really know how bad it is, but he's stable, if that's what you want to know. He's not in any danger of dying, even if he's banged up."

Sharpner looked a little relieved. "Well it's nice to hear Brains is gonna be sticking around" he said. Raising a hand to his head, he chuckled. "Jeez, am I gonna have to find a new nickname for the guy? He's got a lot more than brains going for him."

"You could always just call him Gohan" Videl said flatly.

"Sorry Videl, but that's not how us guys work" Sharpner shut her down. "He needs to have a nickname."

"Oh, they're that important?" Videl asked. "Maybe I should let him know, and maybe let him know about that nickname Erasa gave you a while back."

"...Videl…"

"Whaddya say, Sharpie?"

"No!"

A snort brought them back to reality in full as Lime laughed at them. "You two certainly have some dorky vibes around you, I can see how Gohan became friends with you two" she said. "It's just unfortunate that he had to become friends with you in particular."

Videl instantly felt ticked by that comment. "What's that supposed to mean exactly?" she growled, good times forgotten.

Lime waved a hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean it as an insult" she said. "I just meant, Gohan wanted to be normal to someone. Yet the one group he finds himself in has probably the only kid his age who's got the exact situation to find out and be impacted by his, well, abnormalcy. You know, I can't say much is just bad luck in life, but out of the entire world, that happens?"

"...Oh…" Videl realized.

"Lighten up, I'm not railing on you, the coincidence is just… well, it's too much, if I'm being honest" Lime said lightly. "Anyways, we're getting off topic. Is there anything else you want to ask me?"

Videl glanced sideways at her friend, sharing a silent message. "I think that's all we can ask about right now, with all these rules in place" she said.

"I've got to look out for my buddy" Lime said, not sounding apologetic. "And speaking of which, if there's nothing else, you guys should clear out so Gohan doesn't have anything to stress about when he gets up."

* * *

 **Capsule Corp.**

* * *

"I'll be back soon, Trunks" Bulma said, standing up.

Trunks broke his gaze away from the remaining healing pod to look towards this timeline's version of his mother. "Huh? Is something up?" he asked. "Something I can help with?"

The bluenette shook her head. "No, I just need to go let Chi-Chi in" she said. "And besides, you're the one that's been through an interdimensional crash, I'd say you don't need to help with anything right now, even if there was something."

"But I-" Trunks began to stand, before a firm arm crossed his chest.

Vegeta sent a slight glare sideways at the youth, before turning towards Bulma. "Let Kakarot's woman in. We'll be here" he said simply.

As Bulma left the room, Vegeta looked back at Trunks. "You need to learn when there's a time to fight and when there's a time to rest, boy" he said harshly.

Trunks blinked once. Twice. Never looking away from his father, he gaped. "R-rest? I thought you said that warriors never have time to rest?"

Taking his arm off of Trunks, he crossed them over his chest. "Extended time spent here has taught me otherwise" he admitted. "Hell, even that fool Kakarot was correct. Constantly straining your body to its breaking point only helps you for so long. Whether it be from physical or mental wounds, you must give them the opportunity to heal before you return to that point."

Trunks stared a moment longer, before sighing and hunching over. "You're certainly singing a different tune than you were last time I saw you…" he noticed.

"A lot has… happened" Vegeta muttered, subconsciously rubbing the center of his forehead, his scowl deepening. "The past two months have been rife with intense situations. They… haven't all gone according to plan." He growled lightly. "I still feel disgusted that I resorted to fusing with that damn clown, _twice!_ "

"Uh, fusing?" Trunks asked, confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Kakarot discovered a few methods to perform Fusion over the past several years" Vegeta stated. "Both of them unbefitting of a warrior. However, I cannot deny the raw power that came with them."

"Wait, by Fusion, you mean, two people becoming one?" Trunks asked.

"Yes, boy, that's what I'm saying" Vegeta said. "Your younger self, and Kakarot's youngest child actually practice the technique liberally."

Trunks' brow furrowed. "Goku's youngest… Hey, that reminds me. You keep talking about Goku, but didn't he decide to stay dead when Gohan defeated Cell?" He scratched his head. "Also, the way you said that made it sound like he has another kid? Does Gohan have a brother?"

"Slow down, boy" Vegeta said. "Kakarot is still dead, but he returned briefly during our combat with Majin Buu. He plans to return to life in a few months as well, when Namek's Dragon has been restored."

"Oh, I see…" Trunks said. "And, about-"

"Yes, Kakarot left his woman with a child shortly before the Cell Games" he cut him off. "The brat is named Goten, whom the you of this time gets along with inexplicably well." With a snort, he added on "Spitting image of his father, that one. Shocked me to hell when I first saw the child."

"Wow, I never really considered that happening…" Trunks admitted. "Gohan never had a brother in my time, so it wasn't on my mind, especially since I didn't think that Goku would leave Chi-Chi with a child like that."

"I doubt the clown even realized" Vegeta scoffed. "He had no idea until he first returned to this planet about a month ago."

"Oh, right" Trunks said.

The two passed in a slightly uncomfortable silence before Trunks started again. "So Majin Buu was released in this time, yeah?" he asked.

Again, Vegeta rubbed his forehead roughly. "Yeah, the big pink balloon freak" he said. "Bastard killed everyone besides Kakarot, Dende, and that oaf Satan."

"Wait, what?!" Trunks asked.

Vegeta waved his hand. "I suppose saying he killed me is an inaccurate statement" he corrected himself. "Buu had super regeneration that put even the likes of what Cell had to shame, and he was extremely powerful. In a last ditch effort to kill the monster, I performed a self destruction attack." His omnipresent scowl deepened. "Bastard survived, I died, then Kakarot demonstrated a new level of Super Saiyan and battered him around for a while before having to return to the Otherworld. YES, Kakarot found a level above ascended" Vegeta nipped it in the bud as Trunks opened his mouth again. "Super Saiyan 3, he calls it, and by extension, we've taken to calling the Ascended Super Saiyan state, Super Saiyan 2."

"Super Saiyan 3…" Trunks muttered. "Just how powerful is it?"

"It's… staggeringly so" Vegeta begrudgingly admitted. "According to Kakarot, the form is very difficult to hold, as simply being in it places a heavy strain on the body and weakens your energy and stamina considerably. But it completely dwarfs Super Saiyan 2 in terms of power." Brow scrunching, he thought for a moment before speaking again. "If I had to approximate, I would assume Super Saiyan 3 is twofold as big a jump from the ascended state as the ascended state is from a normal Super Saiyan, perhaps around four times ascended." Looking up, he recalled the fight on the world of the Kais in his mind. "Though sometimes, Kakarot seemed to display explosive strength well beyond that..."

"So was that how you guys defeated Buu? Did Goku teach you guys how to become a Super Saiyan 3, and defeat him?"

Vegeta let out a short bark of laughter, startling his son. "Please, the Majin was a much trickier customer that that" he said. "On top of his regeneration, he was constantly transforming and absorbing others to increase his own power. So far, only Kakarot has managed to become a Super Saiyan 3, if we don't count the fused entity you and his son turn into."

"So how did you defeat Buu then?" Trunks asked.

Leaning back, Vegeta recalled the details of the fight. "Those two learned to fuse, and Kakarot's eldest had his strength unlocked. But they got careless, and majin Buu absorbed them. Me and Kakarot fused ourselves to defeat the monster, but we avoided defeating him, so we could rescue the ones he'd absorbed. We freed his good part, and were left with this version of him that acted as if he were destruction incarnate." Looking over, he recalled the final move. "Kakarot's Spirit Bomb was how Buu was defeated. It slew the Majin obliterating him completely. Of course, being the softy that he and Satan are, they spared the good part of him, so we still have some of that creature living on this world."

Trunks absorbed the information. "Wow, that's a lot of events to happen over the course of one fight…" he pondered. "Hey, by the way, who is this 'Satan' guy you keep mentioning?"

"Remember that foolish, powerless human who thought he could take on Cell himself back at the Cell Games?"

"Yeah…"

"That fool has actually managed to convince people that energy is a trick, and he defeated Cell" Vegeta grunted. "As far as the general population knows, that fool is their savior."

Trunks couldn't resist a short snort. He remembered exactly how weak that man had been back at the Cell Games. He found it quite hard to believe that he had fooled the world as such, but if the gang wasn't making any challenges to that claim…

"He must be quite the expert bullshitter" Trunks said. "It would never have worked in my time, people had their eyes all too opened by the Androids."

"I swear, it takes all my self restraint to not slap him into another mountain every time I see or hear him" Vegeta huffed. "Having someone with pull over the Earth's general population was the only reason we were able to defeat Majin Buu though, so I suppose in some way, it has paid dividends."

"He was the reason? But I thought you said Goku's Spirit Bomb-"

"He was the reason Kakarot's Spirit Bomb had a chance at all. You remember the strength of the one he used against those three Androids that blindsided us, correct?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"As far as I've gathered, the Spirit Bomb has a limit to how much it can borrow power to create itself. To make it truly powerful, we had to get the entirety of the human race to offer up a portion of their life energy to empower it to a point where it was capable of eradicating the Majin. Those idiots didn't do anything when myself or Kakarot asked for their assistance, but the second that buffoon began to ask, the entire population was offering their strength. And it was only from that much power that we were capable of wiping him out."

"So he was a bit like Cell in that regard?"

"Yes, but considerably more annoying" Vegeta scowled. "Cell could regenerate from very little, but Buu had to be completely destroyed down to an atomic level. My Final Explosion technique blasted him into dust, and he still returned." He clenched his fist. "That creature is probably the most annoying one I've ever encountered. You could blow him to pieces, and each individual piece could regenerate with a mind of its own, until they decided to merge back together."

"Uh… that sounds, well, it sounds like you're making this up at this point" Trunks pointed out carefully.

With a scoff, Vegeta looked up. "You're not wrong, it sounds completely insane to exist" he admitted. "Yet that's exactly what this being was. He was an insane, magical demon." He looked back to his son and cracked a smile. "Hell, the bastard had a technique he used to literally turn people into candy so he could eat them."

"Okay, now I know you're pulling my leg" Trunks laughed weakly.

"Maybe, maybe not" Vegeta said, looking away again. "The good piece of him is living with that buffoon, perhaps he could demonstrate that power to you. Tell me, what's your favorite flavor?" The last part was rather darkly put, causing Trunks' stance to waver.

"I… I'll take your word for it" Trunks conceded. A cocky smirk from his father told him that was what he was aiming for. "Oh, about these fights you've been having, you mentioned something about a, you said a reality warping demon?"

Vegeta gave a curt nod. "Indeed. Something to do with the Soul Cleansing Machine of Otherworld malfunctioning created an odd being. He had many abilities. Regeneration, transfiguration, portal creation, and some large amount of control over the fabric of reality." He gave Trunks a serious look. "He was causing the dead to walk to planet, and twisting the Earth's energy around. As I said, I wouldn't have been surprised if his presence was the reason your landing was rough."

Rough was an understatement, Trunks realized, looking back to the full pod. "Who is she?" his father asked.

"She's… a friend" Trunks said. "Me and my mother were putting ourselves in charge of trying to restore the planet from the destruction the Androids caused. I was doing a search for people in need of help, and found her, apparently sometime after she had lost two of her partners. We helped her recover, and she joined our effort in helping restore Earth." His pants bunched up as his fists clenched. "A lot of good that did us in the end…" he growled. "Seven years in, and the planet gets completely purged by a monster." There was a tearing sound in his pants as his grip tightened. "Me and her would have been destroyed in the attack as well, if my mother didn't send me back."

"Bulma did that?" Vegeta asked.

Trunks nodded, not looking at his father. "She said… she said it was her final wish" he managed to choke out. "She didn't want to leave her world, and she said… that she didn't have much time left anyways. But she wanted me and Mai to live."

"I was under the impression you never wanted to abandon your world either" Vegeta asked.

"I didn't… but, how could I deny what she was asking of me?" Trunks said.

"I am not sure, Saiyan parents aren't quite so doting" Vegeta said bluntly. "My own mother's response to my early training against a Saibaman squadron and receiving an injury was to berate me for my weakness and deny me a healing pod." He laughed without humor. Studying his son, he continued. "How strong was this beast to make you flee?"

"..." Trunks didn't answer right away. Whether steeling himself or recalling the beast, he wasn't sure. "Very" Trunks said simply. "I fought a warrior called Dabura. I assume you guys know him." With a nod from his father, he continued. "The monster that came to Earth… It made Dabura look like Frieza did compared to Cell."

"So I take it you've ascended?" Vegeta asked.

Trunks nodded. "Yes, it was a while back, but I broke through to the next level" he said. "I had no idea about this… the Super Saiyan 3 though, so I didn't seek a further form."

Vegeta growled. "You realize your goal should always be to ascend further?" he remarked sharply. It was worded as a question, but it was more of a statement. "My blood runs in your veins, your goal should be to grow ever stronger, and leave the old behind in the dust. You shouldn't have settled for Super Saiyan 2, even if you weren't certain there was anything beyond."

"I realize that now… but, I remembered how much power Gohan had, I didn't think there could be anything greater than that."

"Saiyans have no limits, you should know that by now, boy!"

"...Yes father" Trunks muttered. "I'm not sure it would have mattered though. Super Saiyan 3 sounds powerful, but that four times increase above ascended that you mentioned? I… I think that the monster was even beyond what I could reach with that level of strength. Even with my technique honed as it was before the monster arrived."

Vegeta shook his head. "Perhaps not. But if you had continued to grow your strength, maybe that would have been enough. However, there is no use dwelling on the past, only focusing on the future."

Standing up, he looked down at the future timeline version of his son. "Come now, Trunks. I am going to test your resolve to keep pushing beyond. I would take you to the Gravity Chamber, but it's not working. So outside!"

* * *

 **Mt. Paozu**

* * *

"Well that's not good."

Videl pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. The gale had died down quite a bit outside, even if the sky was still dark and the rain was still frigid. It was well enough to fly in.

That, of course, being the case if they had an operational vehicle.

The left wing of the aircraft was in very poor condition. About halfway across, the metal seemed to distort and bend, no doubt the work of a lightning strike. The rough landing through the canopy of trees probably didn't do them any favors either.

Having been blinded from the flash of lightning when they landed, it made sense that neither of them had noticed this damage before. That didn't make it any less annoying to deal with though.

"How are we supposed to get home now?" Sharpner asked.

Videl turned back to the doorway, where Lime stood. "You said you flew over here, yeah. Could you give us a lift home?"

Lime shook her head. "Sorry there, but when I said I flew over, I mean I literally _flew_ over" she said.

Videl frowned and turned back to her damaged vehicle. "That's gonna cost a lot to repair…" she muttered. Usually, that wouldn't be a problem, since they were rich, but Videl wasn't sure when she was going to want to deal with her father again. Of course, the people at the Capsule Machine store knew her well enough that they might be able to bill it to her father… that, of course, being if she'd ever be able to get back to Satan City.

"How far of a walk is it from here to Satan City?" Videl asked tentatively. She had a bad feeling she knew the answer, but she had to see.

"As the crow flies, you could probably hike it over in a few days. But you two aren't crows and can't fly, so it would probably take you a lot longer than that." Lime shook her head. "Even if it wasn't a bad distance, this isn't exactly a safe area. There are bandits, animals, hell, even some dinosaurs in these parts."

"Wait, dinosaurs?" Sharpner asked.

"The circus found a dragon the other day, didn't they?" Videl shot back.

"These parts are pretty disconnected from the rest of the modern world, I'm not surprised you guys don't know much about what's out here" Lime said.

"Then what should we do?" Videl asked. She wasn't necessarily fond of the idea of being stranded out here until a mechanic could get out here.

"Well, I'd say you could stay here, but Gohan really does need his rest, and having you two in his face as soon as he gets up would probably be counterproductive" Lime said. "Besides, not really my place to invite you to stay anyways, Chi-Chi ain't home."

"So you want us to pitch a tent or something?" Sharpner asked.

Lime rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna throw you two to the wolves you know" she said, looking at a small watch on her wrist. "It's about half past two right now. I usually fly over here when I want to visit, cuts the travel time down to about twenty minutes. But my village isn't too terribly far, we could probably foot it over in about two hours. You guys wanna come back with me and crash there until we get this sorted out?"

Videl blinked. This girl had only known them for a little over half an hour, and she was inviting them to stay at her place. "That wouldn't be too much trouble, would it?" Videl asked. She could be pushy when she wanted to be, but she hated to impose.

Lime waved it off, chuckling. "First thing you need to know about us out here in the mountains. We're pretty friendly as long as you aren't trying to mess with us. It'll be no issue, and I'm sure my folks would agree."

"Thank you" Sharpner and Videl said at the same time.

Lime shot them a smile. "Sure thing. Lemme grab my things while you guys get that thing packed up, and I'll be back in a flash."

As the redhead stepped back inside, Videl pushed the button that would cause the machine to condense down into capsule form. "You know, she seemed a bit abrasive when we first met her, but she's actually kinda cool" Videl admitted.

"Kind of like you?" Sharpner snickered.

"Bite me, Sharpie" Videl shot back, much to the blonde's amusement. Picking up the capsule, she stuck it in her capsule case before pocketing it.

The door opened behind them, and Lime came out, a bundle in her arms. "That was fast" Videl commented.

"I didn't bring much" Lime shrugged. "Anyways, I grabbed y'all some coats. You're gonna be grateful for them if it starts raining again" she said, passing out a couple basic yellow raincoats to the two of them. "It's not going to be the worst, but it's a long walk, so I hope you aren't too tired."

Sliding the yellow plastic coat on, Videl took a glance towards the redhead. "We both train in martial arts pretty frequently, I think we can handle a hike."

"Glad to hear it" Lime said.

Sharpner finished sliding his on, then looked around. "What about those dinosaurs and things you mentioned? Won't they still be an issue?"

Lime shrugged as she began walking down. "They shouldn't be an issue. I should be able to make it so we can avoid hitting those areas, and if we do run into something, I've got you covered."

"You've got us…" Sharpner began to ask. "Ohhhhh, I get it. That Ki stuff."

Lime nodded. "I'm nothing anywhere near great with it, but I'm more than enough for some animal. Anyways, talk while you walk! We're losing…" she paused as she looked at the sky. "Not sure if you can call this daylight, but you know what I mean."

"Right" the two agreed, making their way after the redhead.

" _It's just a hike, what could go wrong?"_

* * *

 **Alright guys, gonna call it a bit early this time. I know it's a bit shorter than normal chapters of mine, but in reality, this was meant to mostly be an exposition chapter the whole time. Dragging it on much longer woulda been pointless, since I couldn't do much else with it for now.**

 **Before I answer reviews and sign off, I would just like to say this real fast. Thank you all, thank you all SO MUCH. When I started writing Fanfiction, I would have considered it a great person success to even get a story with a couple hundred followers. But, thanks to all of you, Another Age, Another Adventure is the fourteenth most followed Dragon Ball Z story on the entire site! Out of over fifty thousand of them! Personally, I don't feel like my work is THAT valuable, but all the same, you guys have made me so happy by placing me on that high of regard. Just… thank you all, so much.**

 **Fire-Fly999 - It could be, or it could be something unforeseen. I suppose you'll have to wait to see.**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - Vegeta isn't exactly that big of a family man after all, heh, nor is he the emotional type. Videl's got that detective streak going for her. And thank you for the encouragement!**

 **Kingkakarott - I also enjoy giving the spotlight to lesser seen characters. I actually have plans for using a character I don't think another fic has even ever mentioned sometime in the future, but I'm not gonna spoil exactly who. Hopefully you enjoy them as much as you enjoy my Sharpner and Erasa.**

 **Iwik - Oof, I can empathise with that. I've never experienced it, but I can imagine. Sorry to 'steal' your fic 0.0**

 **Lightningblade49 - more or less… yeah, that was her purpose for the scene, at least right now. Heh**

 **Neededsomething - I suppose you'll just have to wait to see what happens in due time, sorry for being so cryptic, but it loses something if I reveal anything in advance**

 **Romanovascap - indeed. Janemba is probably my favorite of the movie villains, so I was hopeful to do him and his abilities justice. After all, warping reality and flipping the concept of life and death isn't just something that should leave nothing in its wake**

 **Star1X - well, I do plan to use some of the more common tropes at some point, but don't worry, I like to try being unique when I can. Also, Zangya was mostly just a minor character. Helping to fight the person who killed you isn't necessarily something you get to go back to life for, you know?**

 **I'mAAnimeMaster - same reason he couldn't try to go see Dende. Gohan isn't in a place where he can move right now. Interactions between Gohan and Trunks coming down the line.**

 **Tsukimine12 - hey, I'm trying to avoid going OOC, that means taking the good with the bad to make the character genuine.**

 **Dark Aura User - Trunks was mostly just a result of the situation. Trust me, simmer time is upon us.**

 **Slythefoxx2 - sorry if my characterization of Gohan makes you upset, but I'm going for an accurate portrayal. Gohan is, a flawed character. He doesn't enjoy getting into fights, and when he does, he lets his power go to his head. He's shown that on several occasions. I'm not turning this into a story where I make Gohan go OOC to turn him into the perfect flawless warrior. At that point, it's not Gohan. It's an OC with his name, design, and power.**

 **Alright, that's it for now folks. I may be getting a job soon, which may or may not impact future update time, but hopefully I can avoid keeping you guys waiting very long for future installments. If you enjoyed, please, reviews are my driving force for writing, and I'll gladly see you all next time!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 15 - Perspective**

* * *

"I regret every word from earlier…"

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad."

"Speak for yourself! I've never wet my pants before, but having a two story tall T-Rex nearly chomp me in half sure tested my resolve to my record!"

"And what was with that giant bear dude with the sword? I never heard you mention anything like THAT before we left."

Lime chuckled. "I'll admit, the bear dude caught me off guard" she said. "I've lived out here all my life, but that was a new one."

Sharpner gave her an exasperated look. "And two story tall T-Rexes?" he asked.

"Oh, don't worry about smallfry like that, they're skittish the moment they see energy at work" Lime said. "Gohan told me his dad used to chase them around for fun, they've developed a healthy fear of the stuff."

"Must be handy having such a reliable defense…" Videl muttered. She may have come to terms with the fact that she might not be one of the strongest people in the world anymore, but that didn't mean she needed to run into monsters like these to further grind her spot on the totem pole in.

Lime stretched, before flopping backwards hard on her bed. "Yeah, but it can take a lot outta me sometimes, you know? It doesn't feel that natural without a crapton of training."

Videl shifted and tried to make herself comfortable. "Well, thank you very much, Lime. I'm surprised you're doing so much for us, but I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, me too" Sharpner nodded in agreement.

The pair joined Lime in her room. The long hike across Mt. Paozu had taken a lot out of them, especially considering the situations they ran into, encountering the bear thief and the dinosaur ranking as probably the most stressful for the two city-borne teens.

Lime waved them off. "Like I said, we're simple folk out here. We don't overthink things like a lot of people out in the industrial world do. We see someone in need, and we help. Ma and Pa were more than happy to let you spend a night or two."

And honestly, the two couldn't have felt more welcome. Lime's mother and father, Lem and Tange they learned their names were, had been very welcoming on the two of them, her mother even making dinner for the two of them, while her father helped set up sleeping arrangements. Videl had clothes with her, having packed prior to prepare for not returning home for a while, but since Sharpner had none, Tange had given him a set of nightwear.

"Hopefully we won't have to bother you for more than a night" Videl said. "I can probably pull some strings to get someone out here to repair my jet copter tomorrow, and we can head home. Worst case scenario, we can probably get a ride back while they fix it."

Sharpner nodded. "Videl's got a lot of popularity back in Satan City" he told Lime. "Besides being Hercule's daughter, she's regularly out there helping the police with crimes. People love her."

"Besides the criminals I put away" Videl made that distinction.

Lime smiled and laid back. "Well it's good to hear some other kids doing some good out in the world" she said. "Most _adults_ aren't up for that task."

"Yeah, well, I've always had boots to fill, a legacy to live up to" Videl said, her own face darkening. "At least, that's what I was raised believing" she sighed. "Now, I don't know why I thought I was obligated all this time…"

"Are you saying that-" Lime began to ask.

"No, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, helping people, being something like a hero? That's invaluable to me" Videl said. "But, this whole time, I got started knowing that I had a role to play, and now I know that it was as fake as it could possibly be." She laid down in her own spot, relaxing. "I don't know how a man can stand lying not only to the entire world, but to his own blood, for seven years."

"Mr. Satan always felt like a god who could stop anything and always save us" Sharpner said. "It's… kind of scary to realize that this whole time, the person we thought was so strong was lying to us, that he was so weak."

Videl sat back up and looked at Sharpner. "Okay, seriously, who are you and what have you done with Sharpner?" she asked. "You actually sounded intelligent there for a second."

Sharpner's eyes widened in pain. "Seriously Videl, just because I'm not always talking about it doesn't mean I don't know stuff" he huffed.

"Could have fooled me, you've played that ignorant jock card for so long, I was starting to get used to it" Videl shot back.

Growing used to it, Lime pulled her covers up as the two bickered in the background. " _They really are a quirky little group"_ Lime thought with a smile. " _I'm glad Gohan's finally meeting some new friends out there."_ The only friends she had ever really known him to have were herself, Icarus (who she still wasn't convinced wasn't just a giant puppy hiding in a dragon's skin), Dende, and a young man named Pigero, who she had only seen on a couple occasions. He was an adult, about 26 years old, so he didn't stop by much. She was surprised Gohan was friends with someone so much older than him that wasn't part of his dad's group, until she got the story about his training when he was a kid. It made sense, but sadly, it also made sense why he didn't stop around much for it. He had his own responsibilities, and being friends and hanging out with a kid almost a decade younger than you could be viewed as quite odd.

These two were a breath of fresh air for her half human buddy. Herself being the closest to a 'normal' friend he's ever had, meeting a couple other normal kids his age would be good for him.

Frowning slightly, she glanced back over at the pair, who were still arguing like an old married couple. " _It's too bad that this basically gets rid of any sense of normalcy for him"_ she thought. She really didn't hold much against either of them. The Satan girl bothered her a bit at first, but that was mostly a 'sins of the father' deal. She understood _why_ the entire gang let Hercule take the credit, but it never sat right with her that Gohan nearly died, and nearly lost an arm when he survived, only for the buffoon to mock him, his family, and his friends, for seven years on end.

Whether or not he came out and said it, she knew Gohan was relieved to have something close to a normal life for once. Being the leading hero of the planet, with his father's blood, and his mother's teachings, he didn't exactly get a lot of that. After all, his friends were a country girl that knew about his entire world (or at least a lot of it), a young man who may or may not have known (Lime wasn't sure exactly how much Pigero knew), an alien god of the planet, and a dragon. Everyone else was a superpowered warrior that his father had bonded with.

Not exactly a recipe for a normal life.

" _There's no way out of it now"_ Lime frowned at the ceiling. " _They're going to be a part of his world now, which was exactly what he was trying to avoid. I don't have a great read on the blonde kid, but Satan here doesn't seem like the kind that will just listen and store that information away. Whatever she does, she's not just going to sit around and live in her world when she knows about this one."_ She made a mental note to get away from the pair of them sometime tomorrow, if they haven't left by that point, and call Gohan. He was far from excellent at social confrontations. She almost snorted at the thought, the boy could compete with a future bug man who was about to annihilate the solar system while he had a busted arm, but he would struggle to find the words when someone had questions for him. " _He wouldn't be Gohan if he wasn't weird like that."_

"Lime?" a voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Blinking, she looked away from the ceiling, and back over to the two guests, where Videl was giving her a quizzical look. "Is something up?" she was asked.

Lime realized her frown had devolved to a scowl while she pondered Gohan's predicament. Clearing her face, she shook her head. "No, sorry about that, it's nothing" she insisted, waving it off. "Anyways, we should probably get to sleep, it's getting a little late."

Videl huffed, not completely buying it. "Yeah, you're probably right. I'm exhausted after today…" she admitted.

Sharpner let out a grunt in agreement. "I am pretty wiped" he offered up.

"Then it's lights out" Lime said, reaching over and flicking off the light, leaving the room to only be illuminated in the dim blue glow of the night sky. Laying down under her covers, she closed her eyes as the other two got themselves situated.

She didn't fall asleep for a long time. The blonde was snoring softly after half an hour, and Videl's own breathing was quite soft. She couldn't tell whether or not she had actually fallen asleep herself, but she wouldn't be able to blame her if she hadn't. In one day, her life had been flipping on its head.

Her mind eventually began slowing down, and she felt drowsiness lace her mind. She sent out one last thought to her best friend, laying in his own bed miles away, before her consciousness faded, and sleep took her from the world.

* * *

The following day passed by rather quickly for the group. When Videl woke, she stepped outside to place a call, getting a family friend who worked at the Satan City Capsule Mechanics story to plan a visit out there to pick them up and take a look at her jet copter to determine if it was salvageable.

The mechanic was able to make it out there relatively early that day. Half past noon, after Videl and Sharpner had eaten breakfast with the family, he had shown up. Taking a quick look at the vehicle, he'd figured that there was nothing he could do out there as it was. Taking it back to the shop was his only option, and he was more than willing to give the two kids from Satan City a life back home.

Once those two weren't anything more than a memory to the place, Lime moved back inside. She wanted to go check up on her friend right then, but her body wasn't quite recovered from yesterday. She used a bit more ki than she was used to putting out, and there wasn't much of a way around that. It also left her with some physical fatigue, which took out her willingness to walk the way. Although she'd be more or less defenseless either way.

It sucked. Not only could she not go to check on her friend in person, but the morning after a storm was so beautiful and now she couldn't go for a walk out there!

With a resigned sigh, she accepted her current state. With her two houseguests on, she didn't have to worry about them as she retreated inside to make a call. It didn't finish the third ring before the line was picked up on the other end.

" _Hello?"_

Lime sighed contentedly at hearing the voice sound fine. "Hey Gohan" she said.

" _Lime? Is that you?"_ Gohan said, hints of surprise underlying his voice.

"Last I checked" she said, smiling. "It's good to hear your voice. You going okay?"

" _Come on Lime, you know me"_ Gohan chuckled. " _It'll take more than some reality rending demon to take me down."_

"Reality…" Lime blinked and shook her head. "I'll find out what you meant by that later" she decided. "Are you feeling alright right now, Gohan?" she asked.

" _Lime, yeah, I am, didn't you just ask me?"_ Gohan asked, chuckling.

Lime smiled. "I'm not talking physically. There's something you should probably know, and I want to make sure I'm not putting this on you at a bad time."

" _Is everything okay over there Lime?"_ Gohan asked, his voice snapping to serious in an instant.

"I'm fine, I swear" Lime assured him. "This doesn't have a lotta do with me, so much as it is for you."

She swore she could see Gohan cock his head to the side in confusion. " _What are you talking about?"_ he asked.

"Get comfy, Gohan, this might not be a short chat."

* * *

 **7 Days Later**

* * *

"Yeah, Mom, I'm heading out now."

" _Are you sure, sweetie? I don't want you to hurt yourself. You don't have to fly over today if you don't want to."_

Gohan rolled his eyes. "I promise, Mom, I'm fine. Saiyan body and all, I'm perfectly good to go and I can't stand still."

" _Gohan, I trust you, but promise me if you start to feel anything, you'll rest, okay?"_

"Yeah, I promise Mom" Gohan swore. "I'm going to fly around for a little while to warm up and get some energy out before I head on over, if that's okay?"

" _Just please don't take too long, Gohan."_

Chi Chi had ended up staying at Capsule Corporation longer than she intended to. While she planned to come back the next day, Gohan assured her he was feeling fine enough to keep himself maintained. She strictly kept him from going out, but he was fine to take care of himself around the house.

A week later, however, and Gohan was getting a little stir crazy. His mom had told him that there was something he should come over to Capsule Corp for when he was feeling up for it. Truth be told, he had felt up to it for the past few days, but she wasn't about to let him out of bed rest without at least a full week's of recovery under his belt.

His body got the rest it needed. His mind, however…

"I'll do my best, Mom" Gohan swore. "I'll see you soon."

Goodbyes were said, and Gohan hung the phone up. Picking up the small bag of stuff he had prepared, he slipped his jacket on. His outfit for the occasion was simple, jeans and a loose white shirt, with a plain black jacket on over top. He also slipped his trusted Saiyaman watch on his wrist. He prefered to take it everywhere with him now, just in case he needed it.

And today, he was pretty sure he would.

He planned to stop by Satan City today as part of his warmup flight. He felt obligated to do so, considering what had gone down there with him. His stomach was slightly knotted from remembering just how much damage may have been caused. In the heat of the battle, he hadn't paid much heed to the city itself, but he could remember a few stray blasts and several bodies flying through several buildings.

Testing really quick, he hit the button on his watch. The familiar tingling static sensation crossed his body as his current outfit was replaced with his Saiyasuit. His vision darkened as everything came into place. He still didn't have a new helmet (something he would have to see if Bulma would be willing to replace for him) so instead, he made due with replacement headgear, donning a white bandana and a pair of sunglasses to conceal his head.

A look in the mirror satisfied him. The bandana was affixed firm enough that there shouldn't be risk of it coming off even when he flew at his higher speeds, and he was still disguised enough that no one would be able to recognize him.

Pressing the button again, he let his normal outfit reappear on his body. He didn't need to put on his Saiyasuit until he got near Satan City, after all. There was no need to disguise himself out here, basically everyone living on Mt. Paozu and the surrounding areas were no strangers to flying individuals, unlike city people.

 _City people…_

As he walked through the door, his mind wandered to the conversation he had with Lime seven days prior…

* * *

 _The phone nearly slipped from Gohan's hands as his body went rigid. "Th-they were here?" he stuttered out._

" _Arrived about an hour after I had come to check up on you" Lime broke to him. "Sorry to hit you with this, Gohan, but the cat's outta here."_

 _Gohan groaned. "I knew they were in the city when things were going down, but I was hoping that they hadn't picked me out" he berated. After leaving himself with a moment to calm, he let out a sigh. "Do you know what they know?"_

" _Yup" Lime said. "And I let them in on a few things too, to try to make things easier for you…"_

* * *

The knowledge of the fact that they knew that he had defeated Cell gave him a pulsing anxiety just _thinking_ about it. They may not have coordinated with Hercule over the seven years following the Cell Games, but that was the truth the world was allowed to believe.

Videl had a strong sense of justice, and she could also be tempermental. He wouldn't put it past her to let the truth out, if he couldn't convince her otherwise, and if she hadn't already. Lies were something she couldn't stand. And judging by the description Lime had given her, she was pretty upset by revelation, how her whole world had been _built_ on a lie. She might not consider the VERY likely panic the information might incite.

That information aside, his own secrecy was something he no longer had ahold of. His desire for a normal, human social life were basically out the window. He knew for a fact that Sharpner and Videl were in on him, and where those two went, Erasa was likely to be in as well. All the friends he had made since joining OSH knew exactly what kind of freak of nature he was.

He snorted vaguely at the thought. He liked to consider himself normal, moreso than a freak of nature. He was quite normal as a personality, and if you could ignore his status as one of the strongest single beings in the known universe, and the alien blood flowing through his veins, you wouldn't be able to tell.

Well, the tail too…

Flying through the air, Gohan twisted his neck behind him to look at the furry brown appendage trailing behind him, waggling in the breeze. He couldn't believe, that out of all the possible outcomes of the interdimensional war that had been thrown down, he ended up with his tail again.

" _This is going to take some getting used to"_ he thought. This wasn't the first time he had a tail. Most of his early childhood involved one. However, he couldn't remember much of that time. Being kidnapped by his uncle and his training under Piccolo were about the earliest memories he could recall clearly, his tail being removed partway through the latter event.

He had been doing what Vegeta suggested, trying to numb his tail to the jarring stimulus of contact. It was painful work, but it was already slightly more immune than it was. He wasn't brought to complete incapacitation at a grip anymore, though he couldn't say much else. He was trying to get some motor control over it as well, but that was only going about as well. He could keep it from flicking around on its own too much if he kept focus on it, but he had yet to develop any conscious control of his own.

He shook his head after he passed over another village. He was letting his mind wander. He could worry about his new friend later. He knew that after today, he'd have to stop avoiding the three of them. They knew too much for him to just cut them off, as frightening as it was.

" _Alright, here's what I know they know"_ Gohan thought, trying to clear his mind and organize the facts. " _They know about ki, they know I defeated Cell, and they know I'm Saiyaman."_

" _ **I had to give them a reason for why I couldn't tell them, sorry Gohan"**_

Gohan grimmaced as he recalled what Lime had explained. " _Right. They know that something happened at the Cell Games."_ The events that took place that day were something he wasn't proud of, to say the least. He wasn't sure if he'd ever want to tell anyone who wasn't there about it, besides his mom, who he was obligated to.

" _ **Your fault..."**_

Gohan growled and shook his head, dispelling the dark thoughts. He didn't like thinking about the Cell Games for that exact reason. It was a thing of the past, and he was past it. Forcing it to the back of his mind, he took a few deep breaths, and tried to focus. " _They also know something about how strong I am, but thankfully nothing too big."_ He was thankful for Lime, she was able to take a few of the bigger things off of his plate without letting them know exactly how deep the rabbit hole went. They knew he was strong, but they didn't know that he could obliterate the planet without needing to try if he ever wanted to.

" _I can only hope they'll keep my secret identity a secret"_ he thought, almost smiling at the thought. Out of all his secrets, the first to come to mind that he wanted them to keep (besides the true savior of the planet, of course) was a tunic and some spandex covering him. Of course, both had to do with avoiding the spotlight. It wasn't a favorite place of his to be in. That was the point of an alias, so that if he needed to do some work in the public eye, it wouldn't reflect on his private life.

Speaking of said alter ego, the ever familiar skyline of Satan City began to appear on the skyline, which was his cue to don his costume. The static energy washed over him as the city neared, completely hidden within his superhero persona as he crossed the city boundary.

From his vantage point, quite a lot of Satan City was laid out before him, and he grimmaced at the sight. While thankfully, a rather large portion of the city underwent only minor damage, some shattered windows or the occasional collapsed wall, the same couldn't be said for the city center.

What was once a towering, bustling downtown metropolis was all but completely leveled. Very few buildings were left standing, even fewer were in any sort of stable condition. Most were reduced to mountains of rubble that had only begun to be cleared by the city's workers. Craters dotted the battlefield, seemingly as obvious as the ones on the moon.

"Well so much for keeping the city safe…" Gohan muttered. In all honesty, he was grateful that the damage had been as localized as it was. However, he would have prefered if that local damage didn't translate to complete obliteration.

It was about noon, so the city's workforce was there, working on clearing the area. " _I can't imagine how long it's going to take to rebuild"_ he thought sadly. How many hundreds or thousands of people were now jobless.

Of course, the positives far outweighed the negative consequences of the fight. Sure, the metropolis had been leveled, but at least the entire universe wasn't under the influence of a psychotic reality rending demon made of pure darkness.

Gohan snorted. " _What is my life, even?"_ he wondered amusedly. He was fairly certain even most animes didn't have situations as ridiculous as what he and the rest of the gang had gone through in the past couple decades.

A sharp cracking sound rang through the air, startling Gohan out of his thoughts. Turning, he attempted to pinpoint the origin of the noice. From his vantage point, it didn't take more than a moment before a rather large armored truck came in and out of view, flitting between buildings.

A wispy white aura wrapped gently around his body as he prepared to move…

* * *

Videl's eyes opened, blearily taking in her surroundings as she woke up. She tried, and failed, to stifle a yawn as she sat up.

The hotel room she was in was rather simple. Contrary to the belief of some her peers, extravagence wasn't necessarily her natural element. The bed didn't hurt her back, it had a television and radio, and there was enough space for her to stretch without knocking something over, that was enough for her.

It was also on the top floor nearest to the staircase leading to the roof, letting her make it to a scene quickly if need be.

She rubbed her eyes as she prepared to start another day. She had been out late last night on a particularly troublesome situation, which was why her eyes were opening at just past noon. She probably would have slept in longer, but she was woken up for some reason…

 _ **BANG BANG**_

Videl jolted briefly, before she scowled. The sound was very distinct. Gunfire, which meant one thing. She was on the job.

Dashing over to the window, she threw the curtains open and peered outside. A few streets away, the sounds continued, before drifting around a corner, she saw a heavyset truck skid into view. Her legs were already tensing to move. The sirens were distant, nowhere nearby. Even if the police got there first, it was going to be a tough target to take down.

Something else caught her eye. A flash of movement. She paused for a moment, looking for whatever had flickered in her vision.

The truck skidded to a stop, tires screeching, and gunfire stopping completely, which confused Videl, until she looked at the scene. Standing only a short distance before the now motionless armored truck, an _excruciatingly_ familiar stood in the road, spandex, tunic and all.

* * *

Gohan dropped to the street, directly in the path of the truck, the air around him sparking with intensity. All for show, of course, he didn't want to kill them. He brought his hand up and took aim at the truck, prepared for a _kiai_ if need be.

The need did not come to pass. The truck's brakes were slammed on, the air filling with the smell of burnt rubber as it came screeching to a halt ten feet away. He let the charge in his hand fizzle out, and dropped it to his side. "Thank you for stopping, citizens!" he announced roughly, having to readjust to his hero voice. "Now, do you plan to come out quietly, or will things have to get rough?"

He was surprised by the speed of the response. Immediately, several guns flew from the windows of the vehicle and clattered to the pavement. Soon after, four men emerged and fell to the ground, laying low. "Please, don't hurt us, we'll go easy!" the driver begged, without any disagreement from his men.

Behind his glasses, Gohan quirked an eyebrow. "Well that was easy" he muttered to himself. He almost felt disappointed, it always gave him a sense of childish euphoria to catch bullets that were aimed at him. The sirens in the distance were drawing nearer by the moment. The entire situation couldn't have taken more than thirty second to resolve, and these guys looked like they had meant business.

He reached up behind his head and scratched. "I'm not sure I get this, but it's over" he figured. He waggled a finger at the four laying on the road, pleading looks adorned on their faces. "Let this serve as a lesson for you in the future to live morally, lest the consequences catch you!" he announced in his heroic voice. "Those consequences have a habit of calling upon me for assistance!"

"Just when I thought your lines couldn't get any cheesier, you raise the bar" a new voice barked over the ambience.

Gohan flinched at the sound, body going rigid. " _Oh crap…"_ He turned around slowly, the familiar blue eyes of the city's favorite teenaged crime fighter glaring back. "Miss Videl, hello" he greeted, his normally stable hero voice shaky.

Videl crossed her arms, her figure relaxed. "Go- Saiyaman" she caught herself.

If anything, the catch didn't help Gohan feel any better about the situation. The confirmation he just heard was as if ice slithered through his veins. He swallowed hard. "Uh, wh-what can I do for you today, Videl?" he asked.

Videl took a glance over his shoulder. "The force is here" she noted. She wasn't wrong, Gohan could hear the tires very clearly approaching. Looking back at him, Gohan felt shrunken under her gaze. "Leave these guys to them, and come with me. I think we need to talk." Her voice wasn't as cold as he might have feared, but she didn't sound happy.

Gohan glanced behind him. The police were already slowing down as they neared the scene, and he knew that the ruffians on the ground weren't going anywhere. He sighed as he looked at the ground in front of him. "Where do you want to meet? I'll see you there" he offered.

"Satan City Park" Videl answered immediately.

Gohan knew the place well. After all, he _had_ smuggled a dragon through the area just over a week ago. "Alright, I'll head over there immediately" he said.

Videl gave him a curt nod, before she began pulling out her own capsule. He didn't bother waiting around for her, his feet leaving the ground as he flew into the air, towards the large sprawl of nature within the urban jungle…

* * *

"Oh man, oh man, not good, why are there more people like _him_ here?"

Hidden in the shadows of an ally, out of view as a hoard of police officers arrested the men on the ground, a figure was quivering, hidden beneath a rather large coat, watching as the caped figure took off into the sky.

He shrunk back, trying to make himself less visible than he was. "I can't let them find me, there's no telling what they'll do… they probably blame me, the big guy did, I could feel his anger…"

He fiddled with a cord hanging from something within his hood. "M-Maybe I should find somewhere else, I don't want to go back home the hard way…"

Taking another step back, he yelped as the air around him distorted and he tripped. The yelp attracted the attention of some officers at the edge of the crime scene, but by the time they looked over, he had fallen through the distortion, and vanished without a trace.

* * *

Gohan had removed his Saiyasuit behind a tree when he landed in the park, not wanting to draw attention to himself, before stepping out towards what could be considered the commons area of the park. A large fountain and several benches dotted the area, but no one was really out here. He couldn't blame them, most of the city had to be terrified following the battle last week. Responsibilities, sure, but not lounging out and about.

Of course, he wasn't exactly lounging either. He wasn't sure if it was physically possible to be this tense and do anything remotely close to being considered lounging. He thought he had prepared himself, but it wasn't quite the truth.

To be honest, he had never really had many friends before, and the ones he did have, he didn't keep many secrets from. In fact, the only time he had remotely felt a similar queasy feeling before was…

When he had to tell his mom about what happened at the Cell Games. On one hand, this wasn't NEARLY as intense as telling your mom that your father and her husband died because of a mistake _you_ made. On the other, he hadn't had his father's emotional support for this one, unlike he had before.

He wasn't entirely sure he was ready for it yet.

"Gohan."

Of course, at this point, it probably didn't matter how ready he was for it.

Turning around, he visibly tensed as he saw Videl walking down the path towards him. " _Here it goes…"_ he thought dejectedly. "Hey Videl" he waved meekly.

Videl stopped about five feet away from him, eyes narrowed, and Gohan felt himself being scrutinized. It made him feel fidgety, but at the same time, he didn't feel like he could move. A moment passed, and Videl huffed. "You can relax, you know, I'm not here to attack you" she said.

He took in her words, but his body didn't loosen. His tail twitched inside of his jeans, and he felt lucky that _that_ wasn't on display. He wasn't sure if he was ready to open that can of worms yet…

"I-I know" he stuttered out. "I just…" he trailed off, trying to gather his thoughts. "She… Lime told me about you guys coming over… and what you know…"

If Videl was surprised by that information, she didn't let it on. "Oh?" she asked, her voice neutral.

Gohan swallowed hard. "Y-yeah…" he muttered. "So you… well I… I mean-"

"Oh for Kami's sake, Gohan…" Videl sighed, pinching her nose. "What's wrong? You act like you're expecting to get jumped."

Not knowing how to respond, Gohan stayed quiet, but to his surprise, Videl didn't seem all that aggravated. A moment passed, and Videl rolled her eyes. "Look, would it make it any easier if I told you I'm not about to judge you for any of it?"

Gohan blinked. "Wait, you-"

"Well, I guess that's not entirely accurate" Videl corrected herself, much to Gohan's dismay. "Let me rephrase. I'm not judging you right now. I want to hear from you before I do anything of the sort."

" _That's… better than I expected"_ Gohan thought. He let out a sigh, before a realization struck him. "Aw crapbaskets" he muttered.

Videl looked at him. "What?" she asked.

"Videl, I… I was supposed to meet my mom over in West City" he offered weakly. "I only stopped by the check on the city after… well, you know…"

"Actually, I don't know, I don't have a clue what I saw that day besides you and a bunch on monsters" Videl said, crossing her arms. "And how do I know you're not just trying to weasel out of this?"

Gohan winced slightly. "I… I don't know-"

"Call her."

Gohan blinked. "Call her?" he asked.

Videl nodded. "Call your mom and see about this" she said. "She'll know what you're talking about if you're not just making up another story."

Gohan scratched the back of his head. "I, uh, don't have a phone" he admitted, chuckling nervously.

Reaching into her pocket, Videl pulled out her own, unlocked it, and handed it to him. "Then use mine" she said. It was quite obvious she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Resigned to it, Gohan accepted the phone, and dialed the ten digit number that had talking to less than an hour ago. The phone ringed thrice before a voice answered on the other end.

" _Bulma Briefs speaking, who is this?"_

" _She doesn't recognize the number"_ Gohan realized. "Uh, hey Bulma, it's Gohan."

" _Gohan? Oh, hey, what's up kid? Who's phone are you on, I don't recognize it."_

Gohan glanced up at Videl. "A friend's" he answered.

" _Gotcha"_ Bulma responded. " _Anyways, is something up? Chi Chi told me you were coming by here any time now."_

"Yeah, about that…" Gohan started. "Uh, something came up. Can I talk to my mom real fast, Bulma?"

" _Sure thing kiddo, one sec. HEY CHI CHI, GOHAN'S ON THE LINE!"_

Gohan flinched as Bulma's loud voice came booming through the phone's tiny speaker. Videl raised an eyebrow, being able to hear the voice as well, though not necessarily make it out. "Is everything alright?" she wondered.

"Yeah, everything's fine" Gohan assured.

" _She'll be here in just a second, Gohan"_ Bulma's voice came through again, quieter this time.

"Alright, thanks Bulma" Gohan said graciously. "If I can't make it over right now, I'll get there as soon as I can."

" _No problem. Besides, it's less for me and more for somebody else that we wanted you over."_

"Someone else?" Gohan asked. "Who?"

" _I guess you'll have to see when you make it"_ Bulma said. He swore he could hear the smile in her voice.

Gohan huffed. "Alright, fine, be that way" he muttered.

"Hey, is Bulma the name of your aunt or something?" Videl asked.

Gohan looked up. "Uh, no, just a family friend. My mom's been over at her place for a bit" he explained.

"Oh" Videl said. It was obvious she was trying to be conversational, but it seemed forced and awkward. "Bulma in West City…" Videl muttered, her brow knitting together.

" _Gohan"_ a voice more familiar to Gohan came through.

Gohan returned his attention to the phone. "Hey Mom" Gohan greeted.

" _What's going on? Bulma said you were calling on a friend's phone? I thought you were coming over to Capsule Corp"_ Chi Chi asked.

"Uh, I was, but I wanted to stop in Satan City to make sure everything was okay from, well, last week" Gohan said ever so sheepishly. "And, uh, one of my friends cornered me while I was there."

" _I don't see what the big deal is Gohan, what are you saying"_ Chi Chi asked. " _If you're asking to hang out with a friend today, I'd really prefer you make your way over here and put it off."_

"Well, it's not so much hanging out…" Gohan sighed, glancing at Videl again. "My, uh, my friend, she found out."

" _Found out?"_ a confused voice asked.

"Yeah, about the Cell Games, and Saiyaman, and all that stuff."

" _Oh… OH"_ Chi Chi's voice perked in realization.

"She wants answers now, Mom" Gohan said. "But I don't want to blow you off if-"

" _I think you should stay there, Gohan"_ Chi Chi said calmly.

Gohan blinked, stopping for a second. "Wait, what?"

" _You started school to make friends, Gohan, there's no point in it if you push away the ones you make by not telling them"_ Chi Chi pointed out.

"I know… it just feels a bit too soon…" Gohan mumbled.

" _Plus how are you going to marry this girl if you keep lying to her?"_

Gohan's face flashed a shade of red stop signs would be jealous of. "MOM!" he yelled.

Chi Chi laughed on the other end. " _Tell your friends, Gohan, if they're real friends, they'll stick by you. You can come by tonight or tomorrow if you need to."_

Cooling his face, Gohan nodded, not that his mom could see. "Right, okay Mom, I will" he said.

" _I love you, sweety"_ Chi Chi said.

"Love you too, Mom" Gohan said back, before the line was hung up.

He reached out and handed the phone back to Videl. "So, what's up?" Videl asked, accepting her device back.

"She, uh, wants me to stay and cover things" Gohan admitted.

Triumph bled through Videl's smirk. "I'm liking your mom more already" she said.

Gohan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "So, do you want to call Sharpner and Erasa over?" he asked, not wanting to have to do this multiple times if he didn't have to. He also figured they might have wanted answers just as much as she did, which is why he was surprised when she shook her head. "No?"

"Their families are keeping them close right now" Videl explained. "Sharpner didn't exactly tell them where he was going, and kind of freaked them out." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, his family doesn't really care as long as he can take care of himself usually, but he didn't consider what happened that day."

"But-"

Videl waved him off. "I'll let them know later" she said, giving him a serious look. "So, are you going to finally be honest with me, or what?"

Gohan flinched, anger flickering briefly in his chest. "I didn't lie so much as I didn't let you in on everything" he muttered.

"Pretty big thing to leave out of your résumé" Videl said.

Gohan's brow furrowed. "Sure Videl, yeah. Tell you what, the next time you're the superpowered kid from the mountains trying to make even a _single_ friend in the heart of the city that most calls those same powers you've trained your entire life to get 'tricks', and shuns them, you can tell me exactly what I should or shouldn't have done!" He wasn't sure where his snappish reaction came from, but he regretted it as he saw Videl recoil from the harshness of his short rant.

He wanted to say something to diffuse the situation before it escalated (Dende knows Videl had a temper) but he wasn't sure what to say. After all, it's not like what he said was _un_ true. "Videl, I-"

Videl raised a hand, stopping him in his tracks. "So that's the reason?" she asked, not making eye contact.

Gohan swallowed. As much as he wanted to say whatever was necessary to keep things calm…

"Yes" Gohan answered truthfully. "Maybe not the entire reason, but most of it."

"And the rest?" Videl asked, eyes still at the ground.

Biting the inside of his lip, Gohan huffed. "Well, for starters, we wanted our privacy. We didn't want to be swarmed for the rest of our lives just for winning a fight. Your dad… he may not have killed Cell, but if he hadn't been there, Cell probably would have won."

This had certainly caught Videl's attention. "What?" she asked. "How the heck did he contribute?" She gestured at Gohan. "If that flying and energy stuff is all real, and my dad didn't have any of it, he would have been smoked by Cell." An image from the broadcast, seven years prior, flashed through her mind. "Didn't he literally bitchslap my dad into a cliffside?"

Gohan laughed nervously. "Well, yeah, he did…" he admitted.

"Then what could my dad have actually done?" Videl asked, pressing the matter.

Gohan rubbed his temple. "Well, it's not about any sort of damage he did to Cell himself" Gohan said. "But, if it hadn't been for him, honestly, I wouldn't have found it in myself to take Cell out."

This was only met with a scowl from Videl. "You're kidding, right? How could you not want to take that monster out after what he did?"

Gohan raised his hands in what he hoped was a placating manner. "No, it's not that" he said hurriedly. He scratched the side of his head. "This is gonna be tricky to explain to someone who doesn't really have much knowledge about ki…"

"Try me" Videl said. "I'll tell you if you're speaking gibberish."

"Uh, okay" Gohan said slowly. "Well, I guess… I've always had this potential power inside me. I was never acutely aware of it, but basically, whenever I would get really angry, I would end up bringing out this huge amount of energy more than what I could normally use… Does that make sense?"

Videl's face had been gradually losing its icy demeanor, and actually looked interested in what Gohan had been saying. "I think so… kind of like adrenaline? Something you can't really make happen on your own, but comes out in a do or die sort of situation?"

"Sort of, yeah, I guess that's a good comparison" Gohan nodded. "Though potential power is more unique from person to person than that."

"So what does my dad have to do with that then?" Videl asked.

Gohan thought for a moment before he answered again. "Well… you see, we had allies join us in the fight against Cell. One of them was a robot, named Android 16. He was powerful, but really a peaceful guy, even though he had been built for evil purposes." He lowered his hands as he recalled that particular moment. "Earlier in the fight, 16 had tried to take Cell out himself, but Cell retaliated and destroyed most of his body, except his head, which was still working because he was mechanical."

"Okay…" Videl said, urging him to continue.

"Well, 16 needed to get to me. He knew about my potential, which is what my dad was betting on when he had me take on Cell." He sighed a bit. "I was holding back subconsciously, every time I let my anger take over and my potential surface, I sort of lose myself in the moment. Truth be told, I _didn't_ want to kill Cell" he admitted. "I wanted him to go peacefully so destroying him wasn't necessary. I was keeping myself from doing it, in a way."

"Your dad managed to cross the battlefield, which could have killed him very easily, to get close enough to me and Cell to where he could let 16 talk to me." He paused. "16 told me that it was fine to let myself cave with a monster like Cell, before Cell killed him."

Videl looked awkward at the revelation. "Killed him… but he was a robot, right?"

Gohan narrowed his eyes, annoyed by the nonchalance, but understanding it. "16 was a robot, but that didn't necessarily make it any better. If anything, it was worse for it. He was still conscious, intelligent, but being a robot simply meant that he didn't have a soul. When he was killed, he didn't go on to the afterlife, he just stopped existing" he explained.

"Oh…" Videl said, sounding a little guilty. "Sorry about that, I, I didn't know." Her brow furrowed a bit. "Afterlife? So there really is an afterlife? It's not just a religious thing?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, it's a realm called Otherworld. Souls of the departed go there, and depending on the individual, go to different places. Some even get a spirit body like the one they had alive, rather than staying in spiritual form. There's the planets of the Kais, HFIL, and generally just a lot of open realm for people to wander."

"Kais? HFIL?" Videl asked. "What are those."

"Oops" Gohan chuckled. "Sorry. Uh, Kais are basically like gods that watch over the universe from Otherworld, and HFIL is just the local name that was made for Hell."

Videl raised her eyebrows. "Gods of the universe?" she asked. "And what does HFIL even mean then?"

"Uh… well, it stands for Home For Infinite Losers" Gohan said.

Videl snorted amusedly. "No, for real Gohan" she said.

"I'm not joking" Gohan said. "They have a sense of humor out there."

Studying him for a minute, Videl remained quiet. "...I believe you" she let on.

Gohan blinked. "You do?"

Videl nodded. "Besides being pretty good at telling when I'm being lied to, you're a pretty terrible liar yourself, Gohan" she said, smirking at his pout. "It's what let me know there was something you were hiding." She dropped her smirk. "Though, I didn't really expect this much beneath the surface…"

Gohan smiled meekly. "Sorry…" he offered.

Videl shrugged. "You had your reasons. Valid ones at that. I can't be too mad at you for hiding exactly who you are, especially with the way the world is right now." Her face contorted into a slight scowl. "Still, I don't think running within throwing distance of you was worthy of him having the entire planet bowing to his feet."

"Videl, Cell wasn't the only one there, he had made his Cell Juniors… er, those little blue Cell clones, to fight my friends. He could have been killed en route without the ability to do anything about it. That was pretty brave of him."

"Considering how he thought everything there was a trick and not real, I doubt he was soldiering through it bravely" Videl said darkly. "Sure, it had some merit, but that's not enough to keep me from being pissed at him." She had no intention of returning home anytime soon. "Anyways, you were saying before we got sidetracked, what other reasons did you have for not saying anything?" She believed he had a good enough reason already, but she wanted to hear everything.

Gohan scratched his head. "Well, those are the two big things. We wanted our privacy and we felt like your dad had done enough that he could take it to save us." He chuckled a bit. "The last part might sound a bit… judgy…"

"I'm all ears" Videl said.

Gohan opened his hand, palm facing upwards. "Lime told me she told you the basics about ki" he said, allowing a small ball of soft, warm energy to float within, captivating Videl. "This stuff is really powerful, and anyone can harness it with enough time and patience." He flicked his hand, dispersing the energy. "The world today is… it isn't how it was a few decades back. When my dad was a kid, the abnormal was normal. There was also a… well, there was a certain difference in the world back then. Nowadays, a lot of people are more disbelieving, and mostly look out for themselves, not just the villains either."

"If people learned about energy nowadays, now that it's been forgotten, pushed to the back of the history books, this generation, it could end badly for the world. Human technology isn't far enough along for this knowledge."

"Technology?" Videl asked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Gohan thought for a moment. "Maybe technology isn't the right word, but think about it this way. If someone is in a bad place, or has a really bad day, they might take it out on others. Getting into fights, or in extreme places, shootings. Now imagine if ki was something widespread. That same person who wants to take his bad day out on somebody else could level a city block, or at least an entire building, people and all. Most things on this planet aren't durable enough to handle ki even at lower levels."

Videl blinked as what Gohan was saying sunk in. "I think I get it…" she mused. "We can detect bombs, but we can't really stop something like what happened a week ago."

Gohan flinched. "Uh, well… that was an extreme case, like, extreme doesn't even _begin_ to cover it" he said. "But, uh, yeah, you're on the right track."

"Speaking of, what DID happen last week" Videl questioned. "No one seems to know, they're calling it a terrorist attack, but I'm fairly certain that terrorist groups don't have monsters like those. Didn't you say you killed Cell back then? Why was he here this time? And why-"

"Hold up!" Gohan said, raising his hands before she could ask more questions. "There was really something crazy last week, but I'll try to summarize it" he said.

Tapping a foot, he snapped. "Alright, I think I know how to explain it" he said. "But it's still going to sound really weird."

"So basically, that afterlife I told you about, a demon came into power that day. He was insanely strong and had this unique power to where he could control space. He broke down the walls between dimensions, between our mortal world, and Otherworld. Specifically, down in HFIL, a lot of the villains that my dad and his friends have fought came back to get their revenge."

Videl blinked. "Wait, you're telling me that everyone there was a dead person that someone you know has _killed_ before?" she asked.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, I told you, it sounds weird. A lot of them wanted revenge, and I was the closest target, so they attacked me. I tried to hold them off as best as I could, but it was tricky."

"Considering the state of downtown, I bet it was tricky…" Videl muttered.

"Considering that quite a few of them who appeared could destroy the planet if they put their minds to it, I'd say I still did a pretty good job" Gohan countered, before clapping a hand over his mouth.

Jaw dropping, Videl stared at Gohan. "Destroy the planet?" she asked, her voice ripe with disbelief. Her eyes widened as she sized up Gohan, making him feel uncomfortable. "Gohan… were you exaggerating?"

" _Stupid stupid stupid"_ Gohan berated himself mentally. He sighed. " _I did promise to be truthful…"_

"No, I wasn't" Gohan admitted. "A lot of the villains that my dad or I defeated had enough power that they could shatter a planet if they wanted to."

"How strong does that make _you_?" Videl asked, still in a state of shock.

Gohan flinched at the question, really not wanting to have answer that. "I, uh… well, if I wanted to, destroying Earth would be… effortless" he admitted. Gauging the amount of surprise she was showing, he was glad he didn't go in depth. " _No need to let her know that that could also apply to the solar system at this point"_ he figured.

"B-But I never would!" Gohan said hurriedly. "I love this planet, and the people on it! And, uh, besides, I can't breath in space with ki, so, I'd be killing myself too if I did that, heh heh…"

Videl appeared to shake off her initial shock and set her face back to stone. "This ki stuff… it's really that powerful?" she asked. "Is that why you had me let Tao go a while back?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, he's not really a threat to _us_ nowadays at all, but he's powerful enough that you wouldn't be able to contain him. He could probably take out the majority of the city before you could get something that could take him out" he explained. "That's just how it is."

"I see…" Videl murmured, not looking happy about that.

Gohan felt the strange urge to comfort her, but shrugged it off. He knew she wouldn't appreciate the gesture. "Is there, well, anything else you were wondering Videl?" he asked. The conversation had been going on for a while, but really, they had only talked about a couple things.

* * *

"Well, there was something I wanted to know more about" Videl said, locking eyes with Gohan. "My dad never really told me much, so I want to know. What exactly all happened at the Cell Games?"

Videl remembered Lime telling her that Gohan wouldn't want her spilling the beans about the Cell Games and that he'd have to tell her himself. She understood that. But what she didn't expect was for Gohan to suddenly acquire a thousand yard stare and for the color to seep from his face. Her heartbeat quickened for a minute, not having expected such a reaction.

"I… Sorry Videl, but I can't… not that" Gohan said shakily. "It's just… I _really_ don't like talking about it, or even really thinking about it. It… it wasn't a good time for me" he ended weakly.

" _What in the seven levels of Hell… HFIL, I guess, happened there?"_ Videl wondered with some level of alarm. As a detective, she wanted all the information, and as the daughter of the man who stole the credit for that fateful day, she wanted it even moreso. But some small part of her wondered if she really wanted to learn about it.

She decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to push the issue. "Got it" she said. While she may have been mad about what she had learned of the world over the past week, most of that wasn't directed at Gohan himself. Hearing his reasons, and seeing him like this, the last thing she wanted was to lose him has a friend, especially after hearing all of this.

Anxious to not to let the situation dwell on whatever had happened to the true savior of the world, Videl tried to think about what else she had wanted to hear from him. Connecting a few dots of what she had learned in her head, she realized something. "I guess I understand your Saiyaman persona more now" she said. "It gave you that privacy you wanted, and if people thought you were just some special superhero, then they wouldn't look deep into your abilities." It was two of the reasons the world ended up the way it currently was, and it made sense considering what she now knew.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it" Gohan said, looking like he had tried to shake off whatever had been on his mind just then. He chuckled lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Also, I kind of really liked the idea of being like one of those superheroes in the comics" he admitted.

" _Why am I not surprised"_ Videl snorted at the geekish addition. "Well if Superman had a cheesier voice and the cheesiest possible poses, I'd say you nailed it."

Watching him sputter about how not cheesy it was was a reaction anyone could have predicted, but getting said reaction didn't stop Videl from laughing. It was kind of… no, _extremely_ startling to learn that her classmate could turn the planet, the very earth she was standing on, into space dust without trying, as he put it. But at the same time, the power he held didn't make him a different person.

He was the delivery boy, the one who slayed Cell. He was Saiyaman, the oddball vigilante. And he was Gohan, the quiet, shy nerd, very smart and caring. Just because he hid his power didn't change him. If anything, Videl couldn't help but hold Gohan in a higher respect the more she learned about him, and respect wasn't something one earned easily from her. He had the power to, from the sound of it, take over the world if he wanted to, but instead he protected it, and didn't even want the credit, just to keep the planet safe.

It took a special soul to do that. She wasn't sure she knew anyone else who would be so selfless with that much power, so _human_ as a superhuman.

And it did make her wonder something…

"You can go if you want, Gohan" Videl offered.

Gohan stopped his soft ranting about how his poses were hard work and how they _were_ cool, and looked at her. "What? That's it?" he asked, genuine confusion etched into his face. "I thought we would have been here for hours."

A frown fell onto her face. " _Does he really think I planned to nag him that much?"_ she wondered.

Flashbacks of countless times of hounding after his Saiyaman persona, and no small amount of himself, flew through her mind. " _I guess it wasn't baseless…"_

"I believe everything you've told me" she let him know. "Including that you were supposed to be visiting your mom in West City today. I don't want to keep you from there longer than necessary."

Gohan stared for a moment, before giving her a genuine smile. "Wow, thanks Videl" he said. "I… I really am sorry about having lied to you, I was ready to tell you more if you wanted to."

"I already told you I know you had your reasons" Videl huffed. Miming swinging a gavel, she gave him a serious look. "I told you I wouldn't judge you until afterwards, well, I judge you not guilty."

Gohan chuckled. "Who's cheesy now?" he asked.

"Still nothing compared to taking the whole cake" Videl countered.

Gohan pouted again briefly, before letting his smile come back on. "Seriously though, thanks Videl… Are… are we still friends?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Considering the amount of secrets, whether I understand or not, I don't think I'd be this civil if I didn't think so" she pointed out.

Gohan's smile grew even bigger. "Awesome" he said. "Are, are you going to tell Sharpner and Erasa everything?" he asked.

"I planned to, unless you've got something you'd rather them not know" Videl said. "But I'm assuming you don't?"

Gohan winced slightly. "Uh… can you leave out the bit about the Cell Games? I… I'd rather that get addressed in my own time."

" _Oh, right."_ "Yeah, I can do that" Videl said. She was fidgeting a bit, there was still one more thing she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up…

"Okay, thanks Videl" he said. "Uh, I've said that a lot just now, huh?" he chuckled. "Uh, yeah, I'm going to head off now. I'm… I'm really thankful, for you being so cool about this Videl."

Videl simply nodded. She felt a slight breeze run through the area, and saw Gohan's feet life off the ground ever so slightly…

"Wait!" she said suddenly, cursing how demanding that came out. "I mean… one more thing."

Gohan cocked his head at her. "What is it?" he asked.

" _Of all the things, I've got to say, I never saw myself doing this."_

"Gohan, I… Will you train me?" she asked. There was no point in beating around it, and she didn't have time to find a better lead in.

"Train?" Gohan asked.

Videl nodded. "Yeah. To use ki and everything" she said, taking a deep breath. "I want to protect the city. I make it my job. And, after seeing you, I think that maybe if I could do what you could do, I could protect it even better, and maybe even do more than just here."

Gohan's eyes widened as she explained herself. The fact that he was silent following her question didn't feel to great to her…

"Videl… I… I don't know..." he said slowly. "I'm not sure if… I'll think about it."

After that hastily stuttered response, he was gone before she could even react. It wasn't like his normal flight, but rather, he simply vanished. She may not have had a handle on what all was entailed in ki abilities yet, but she was pretty sure that he just moved faster than she could see.

" _Add 'faster than light' to the list, right below 'planet buster'"_ she thought.

She couldn't help but feel rather irked by the way their meeting had ended. It certainly wasn't the answer she wanted. Sure, an "I'll think about it" is better than a flat "no", but the jittery answer didn't soothe her much. " _I wonder why he was so weird about the question."_

She sighed. She was still processing a lot of what she learned about her friend, and what she had learned about her father to boot. She still wasn't anywhere near okay with him, but maybe… maybe she was slightly less pissed than she had been.

She considered pulling out her phone to call up Erasa and Sharpner, but she decided against it. She'd tell them later, after she was done processing the meeting. She made her way out of the park. She was sure that after a Saiyaman sighting that crime wouldn't dare show itself for the rest of the day.

It was something, she realized as she was leaving the park, that she had forgotten to tell Gohan. Something her father had done that was probably the only reason she wasn't ready to rant and rave at the slightest mention of him. As far as the city was concerned, Hercule had been out of commision that day, the day of the 'terrorist attack'. Maybe it was a little late, and hidden under an alternate persona…

But Gohan was regarded as a savior to the people of Satan City.

* * *

 **Sky**

* * *

On his way to West City, much earlier than he had planned on being, Gohan was frustrated.

" _Why, out of everything, did she have to ask that?"_ he wondered.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Videl. Rather, he was sure she'd be amazing if she knew how to control her energy. Unlike most of his fears of the general population learning about ki, he had no issues with her.

The problem wasn't that he thought she'd abuse it. The problem was the world it was a part of.

" _Warriors who control their energy are inevitably drawn to the biggest fights"_ Gohan remembered.

He trusted that she would handle her energy responsibly if she learned how to use it.

But he wasn't sure he could trust her to stay alive the next time a new foe made its way to Earth.

* * *

 **AAAAAAAAAAAAND finito!**

 **Sorry about the wait. I have a very full plate helping out around the house. I'm substituting having a job for basically running the household, and it ain't easy. But I hope that this chapter is worth the two month wait.**

 **Not too different from the last chapter, but at last, the fated meeting between Gohan and Videl after Janemba flipped both the mortal, spirit, and Gohan's world on their heads.**

 **I hope that my time skip (is unbeatable) didn't come on too abruptly, but I figured it was finally time we get a move on from that single day that's taken up the last several chapters, and that was exactly what we needed.**

 **Also, I'm trying to avoid an "ow the edge" with it, but realistically speaking, it makes sense for Gohan to have some form of PTSD from the Cell Games, which is why he's on edge whenever it's the topic of discussion. We know he blamed himself, even if his father didn't. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn this into an angst fic, but it's something I feel should at least exist.**

 **Also… you're not getting anything out of me about that teaser after the crime was stopped. Let's just say, it's something that I've been very excited to do, mostly because I've never seen anyone else do it. What is that? Well, you're going to have to find out down the line!**

 **Tsukimine12 - yeah, glad to hear it. Not everyone loves the flawed character, but I don't think that perfect characters are very entertaining, heh**

 **Romanovascap - yeah, don't worry, I plan to make sure that those two have at least some relevance (hopefully more than "some"). Expanding on minor characters is a lovely thing, and the gang shouldn't just be Gohan and Videl with some cameos**

 **Oracle-sama - well, you haven't seen the last of her, don't worry. Also, sorry for not being as fast as I wanted .**

 **Iwik - got something to let Videl know just how out of depth she is, but Lime was certainly making a point to avoid it**

 **Nitewolf423 - I can promise you that if Super finds its way into the story, it's not gonna be for a while**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - Vegeta's still got his pride, but he accepted his spot below the top in the Buu fight. He hasn't given up, but he knows where he stands. It isn't gonna stop the prince of all Saiyans though, never!**

 **Guest - I have some plans for Trunks, I don't plan to rehash any arcs verbatim**

 **BarryManiHigh - well, Lime never said anything about Goku to them, so I'm not sure what you're getting at. She also doesn't know that Buu has any connection the them**

 **Sharingankakashi007 - not that covered, but yeah, Murphy's Law came in like a bolt of lightning**

 **Blazetato - I've got to say, I've always been more partial to the close friendship than romance between the two, but I understand you. I'm glad that you love the story anyhow!**

 **Anyways, that's all for now. I'm really excited to write the upcoming arc, hopefully I can make it good. Still a few more chapters before we really get there though.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, feel free to drop a review if you did (they're liquified motivation man!) and I'll see you all in the next update! Cya!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Happy New Years! And late Christmas... and- oh you know the stuff.**

 **First update of 2019. Yeah, I know it's been a bit of a longer wait than normal, sorry about that, but I've been neglecting my other active story, so I needed to set aside the time to churn something out for it, and then this part wouldn't write itself.  
**

 **That being said, we're back. I have one quick announcement to make, however.**

 **As this chapter marks the point in the story where both the present, Kid Trunks, and Future Trunks appear commonly, and together, I will be setting up a poll on my profile, for just a small detail. To differentiate between the two of them, I want to know whether you want me to call present Trunks 'Kid Trunks', or to call Future Trunks… well, 'Future Trunks'. The other would be just referred to as Trunks, of course**

 **The choice would only be applicable for when the two are in the same scene together. If there's a moment between Future Trunks and Gohan, for example, he will just be referred to as Trunks, as long as present Trunks isn't… present. For this chapter, I'll be doing enough so that it's easy to tell the difference, but depending on poll results, I'll edit future usage from the next chapter onwards.**

 **I know a number of stories have referred to Future Trunks as Mirai or Mirai Trunks, but introducing Japanese terms and honorifics has always been something that… well, it's not too bad, but I find it unnecessary. So, no Mirai for my story. Either Kid Trunks or Future Trunks will be used as a way to identify the two when the appear simultaneously.**

 **Anyways, that's all for now. You ready to read?**

* * *

 **Chapter 16 - Tall Tales**

* * *

After sweeping the area to make sure no one was around, Gohan dropped like a stone, slowing himself as he neared the ground so he landed lightly on the lawns of Capsule Corporation. A light breeze rolled across the expansive lawn, rustling the grass.

It was a welcome change to the inside of his room that had been all he had seen for the past while, more so than the city had been. Bulma may be a technical genius and inventor of the mechanical variety, but even she made sure she had some nature nearby.

Gohan strolled across the lawn towards the living quarters where Bulma's family lived. He was already running a little late after his encounter with Videl back in Satan City. Even if his mom had told him to take all the time he needed, and Videl had let him go long before he thought she would, he was still delayed from when he had planned to be there earlier.

He was about twenty feet away when it happened. Something flickered around the edge of his senses. His body tensed, and in his peripheral vision, he saw a flash of light on either side of him. Two blasts, closing in on him.

His aura sparked to life as he shot a hand out to either side of him. "KYAH!" he roared, his aura pouring into each hand before rocketing out as a powerful kiai. The waves of force slammed through either attack effortlessly, dispersing them. He stayed on guard, sensing two energies in the area, but relaxing as he recognized one of them. "Alright Trunks, come on out now."

"You _see_?! I told you he was super strong!" Trunks said as he bounded out from behind the bush he was hiding in. His hair was raised and glowing in typical Super Saiyan fashion.

"I never said I doubted you, you know" a new voice said from his other side. Gohan turned around, and nearly lost his composure when he saw who was standing across from him.

"T-Trunks?" Gohan stuttered.

"Hey Gohan, it's been a long time" the Trunks from the future said as he crossed the lawn.

Gohan blinked, getting over his shock before a large smile formed on his face. "I'll say it's been!" he agreed. He reached out and clasped Trunks' hand as he drew near. "It's been a good seven years by this point."

"Gooohaaaaan! The future me is so cool!" the younger Trunks exclaimed. "He's super strong and he has a cool sword!"

The Trunks standing nearest to Gohan laughed lightly, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, the little me hasn't exactly left me alone" he said.

"He's excitable that way, you should see the disaster that happens when he gets together with Goten…" Gohan chuckled. "Oh, wait, you don't know about Goten, he-"

"Actually, Father told me" the elder Trunks said. "I was pretty surprised, I didn't figure that you'd have a little brother."

"I think he surprised Mom too" Gohan said. "Speaking of, I assume you're the reason she wanted me to come over."

"Yeah, Mother and Chi-Chi wanted to surprise you" he nodded. "But they didn't want you over right away because you were hurt. What exactly…"

"It's a long story. Tell you what, I'll trade you mine for how things have been going back home for you" Gohan offered, not expecting Trunks' face to fall as it did.

"Oh… uh, sure, I need to tell you anyways" he said rather sullenly.

Cocking his head to the side, Gohan had a sense of foreboding. "Is everything…"

"No, not really" Trunks said. "Let's just say I'm here to stay for now. I'll tell you in a bit." He shook off whatever he was feeling and put on a weak smile. "Come on, I'm sure your mom will want to see you before too long. She's been here for a week and if she's half of how she was before, then I know she'll be dying to see you."

* * *

 **Satan City - Later**

* * *

" _I'm not sure if… I'll think about it."_

" _I wonder why he was so hesitant to answer"_ Videl wondered.

Videl was flying her jetcopter, sweeping the city really fast on one more patrol before she went to meet with Sharpner and Erasa. Though so far, she had been right in her assumption. After Saiya- Gohan, had made an appearance earlier to stop that armored truck, anyone who had anything malicious in mind seemed to be lying low for the time being. Which made sense, given what they believed.

* * *

 _ **Flashback**_

* * *

" _What do you mean you didn't stop it?!"_

 _The crowd was in an uproar as Hercule appeared on stage, in front of the camera. He still exuded a sense of bravado as always, but someone who knew him could detect the slight bit of unease within him._

" _I mean exactly what I said" Hercule said stoically. "I am afraid that the attack caught me off guard as much as anyone else, and I found myself wounded before I could retaliate."_

 _He motioned to his leg, which the camera panned in on, and indeed, there were bandages wrapped around his leg._

"Come to think of it, he didn't get up the entire time while I was home, or when I tried to leave" _Videl had thought, realizing that the injury probably wasn't falsified._

" _I do not know who they were, or what reasons the terrorists had for attacking our city" Hercule continued. "But this time, I wasn't the hero who saved you all."_

" _Then who did?!" someone in the audience yelled out, the question rapidly being repeated by more of them._

 _Hercule raised a hand, silencing the room quickly. "I cannot take the credit, but I know who was responsible for saving you all, and myself." He cleared his throat. "On the day of the attack, the one who goes by 'The Great Saiyaman' here was the one to repel the attackers."_

* * *

The interview had gone on for some time following the revelation, but that was the big piece of news on everyone's mind. Their indomitable Champion hadn't even played a role in saving the city. Rather, it was the goofy, controversial vigilante who had repelled an entire 'terrorist attack' by himself.

Having given him the credit that, trick or not, he was able to use his abilities to drive out the villains (couldn't shake calling those powers of his 'a trick,' though she was able to see the necessity behind it now), and admitting to his own weakness in the time, went surprisingly well for him. Made him appear more humble and honest in the eyes of his followers and the people of the city, that he was willing to admit to a weak moment and not taking the credit for something everyone had assumed he had accomplished (ironic).

The news spread like wildfire. Even if he was a 'trickster', Gohan had used his powers to fight off an entire terrorist attack (or so they believed, Videl knew that what he had dealt with was leagues above a simple terrorist attack). Him showing up today would be enough to scare most of the more criminally minded population of the city shitless for at least the rest of the day, if not a few more following.

And for once, she didn't mind the existence of Saiyaman taking some of the workload off of her plate.

She landed in front of Sharpner's house (Erasa was able to come over, since some time had passed and she _hadn't_ left her family to worry as she went off for a 24 hour adventure) and went through the process of shutting down her transportation. Pocketing the now capsulated vehicle, she went up and rapped on the door. Standing around for a few moments, she soon heard the distant call of "Coming!" and the thump of footsteps. The door was opened moments later by a familiar blonde haired individual. "Oh, hey Videl" Sharpner said. "Didn't expect you to get here so soon."

Videl shrugged. "There's not exactly much air traffic around here, you know."

Another head of blonde hair appeared behind him. "Videl!" Erasa squeaked, rushing over and trapping her best friend in a hug, which was lightly returned. "Oh, how have you been? How has Gohan been? You saw him, right? Was he okay? Was he-"

"Kami, I can't answer questions that fast, Erasa!" Videl exclaimed, raising her hands placatingly.

Sharpner beckoned her in. "Come on, let's head up to my room. You _did_ say something about Gohan, right?"

Videl sighed. "Yeah, I managed to corner him earlier" she said. "We talked, and he said I could tell you guys."

"Well what are we waiting for!? Let's go!" Erasa exclaimed, rushing back into the house, much to the surprise of the raven haired Satan.

"She's… energetic" she commented.

"She's also been worried out of her mind, since she hasn't seen Gohan" Sharpner said. "With the school shut down for repairs for the next few weeks he hasn't exactly had reason to show up either..." he paused, looking uncomfortable. "Was Gohan…"

"Gohan seemed fine" Videl assured him. " _If not how I expected."_

Sharpner seemed satisfied enough with that. "Well, come on in. I want to hear what else you learned about him… Man, I feel like a real dick for treating him like a common nerd now."

"We all thought that's all he was" Videl shrugged as she stepped past him. "And that was how he wanted to be seen."

"Why would anyone want to be just that?"

"I'll tell you two when we're together."

* * *

 **Capsule Corp**

* * *

"Wow, I'm… I'm sorry, Trunks."

Trunks sighed. "It's fine, Gohan, wasn't your fault anyhow."

Gohan stood up. "Maybe not, but you saved our timeline, we should have at least had a chance to save yours in return" he argued.

Shaking his head, Trunks sank back. "I don't think any of you could have defeated this monster. We had every advantage we could come up with, and he still crushed us. Even with how strong Father said you guys have become, I doubt it would have done much but get you killed as well."

Gohan gritted his teeth. "I still wish you had at least asked us. After all, you haven't seen what we've become capable of."

"Father showed me-"

"Trunks, I don't mean any disrespect, but I far outclass Vegeta right now" Gohan pressed.

" _ **I heard that, brat!"**_ Vegeta's distant roar echoed from the gravity chamber.

"YOU WERE MEANT TO!" Gohan shouted back, before sighing. "Sorry Trunks…"

"No, I get it" Trunks said tiredly. "You still got that will to fight. To save people. I'm… really glad that you still do, Gohan."

Gohan lowered his hands. "You say that like you don't… Trunks?"

Trunks buried his face in his hands. "That's just it" he said, in possibly the most defeated tone Gohan had ever heard. "I wouldn't be here if I had held onto that will."

"Trunks…"

"That monster… nothing we could do had any effect on it. No matter how hard we fought, no matter what advantage of ours we exploited over it, we never got anything that could even slow him down" Trunks said. "Days it went on… and every time we failed, someone died. Usually a lot of people. If I had kept that drive, whether my mom wanted it or not, I would have never ran away like I did…"

* * *

 **Satan City**

* * *

"The p-p-p-p-p…"

"That's what he said" Videl said, sighing. "Knowing Gohan, and what I saw of him, I'm not doubting it either."

"This ki stuff is real, and Cell was able to wipe out an entire military force in an instant" Sharpner said, laying back. "Gohan's stronger than Cell… but, the planet? Gohan? Brains?"

"I have a feeling that's only the tip of the iceberg" Videl said. "After all, he said it would be 'effortless' if he wanted to do it."

The deployed bomb had its desired effect of striking everyone in the room dead silent. "He said that he wouldn't, if not for his actually liking the planet and being a good person, he couldn't do it without killing himself in the process" she said, remembering how he had defused her reaction. "From the sound of it, he only made himself this powerful for the purpose of protecting the planet, so I don't think he'll be responsible for destroying it any time soon."

Sharpner leaned back, Erasa didn't seem to be reacting at all and appeared to be shocked still. "Okay, this is kinda heavy…" Sharpner muttered. "I knew Brains was strong, but… _that?_ I thought that kind of stuff was for the movies, not real life!"

"My dad's just lucky that they knew how to brush things off…" Videl huffed. "The way he went on and on, degrading them and their accomplishments… they could have murdered him in broad daylight and gotten away with it clean if they wanted."

Yes, there was no doubt in her mind that Gohan, or probably anyone in his group (he most definitely didn't show up alone at the Cell Games) could leave her father nothing but a scorch mark on the ground if they desired it. There was so much she didn't understand about the type of group Gohan was in. Even the most calm and level headed individual would sure try to get some sort of payback after _seven years_ of having your name spit on. Sure, they had their reasons for staying hidden and under the radar, but all the same, she _knew_ that they could have done _something._ They had all the means in the world to do so, and even if they still wanted to remain off the grid, they likely had the intelligence to do it without ever getting caught.

" _Just another thing to ask him about, I guess"_ she thought. " _It's bound to have crossed his mind at one point or another."_

"Before he left, I asked if he could train me" Videl lead on. "But he got really weird and fidgety when I asked him."

"Hold up" Sharpner said, shaking his head. "You're asking _someone else,_ to train _you_?!"

"Yeah, and?" Videl asked warningly.

"...Nothing" Sharpner said. "But why do you think he was weird when you asked him?"

Videl rubbed her head. "Honestly, I don't know. I thought he had trained his friend, that Lime girl. I'm not entirely sure why he'd hesitate with me." Hurt wasn't the right word, but it was the closest she could figure how to explain her feelings.

" _ **Nowadays, a lot of people are more disbelieving, and mostly just look out for themselves, not just the villains either..."**_

" _ **Imagine if Ki was something widespread. That same person who wanted to take their bad day out on somebody level a city block, or at least an entire building, people and all."**_

" _Does… does he really think I'll abuse that power if I learned it?"_

* * *

 **Capsule Corp.**

* * *

"You know in my time, my worries usually extended to which city the Androids planned to slaughter next. Not whether a normal girl was going to call me out on something" Trunks said, a trace of a smile playing across his face.

Gohan scowled. "Come on, Trunks, it may not be life or death, but it could have been bad for my life" he argued. "And mom, and Goten, and all our friends."

"I'm just teasing, Gohan" Trunks said. "Although after what I've been through, it's a little harder to take it as seriously."

"That's… completely fair" Gohan sighed.

The two had gone for a walk across the Capsule Corporation lawn. The Gravity Chamber wasn't situated very far away from the living room, and it was rather annoying to be barked at from Vegeta whenever he felt like interjecting (Gohan's senses were higher than he assumed most human's senses were, but it must have been even more extreme for pure Saiyans like Vegeta for him to be picking up on what they were saying).

Trunks crossed his hands behind his head and looked up as they walked. "So this girl is the daughter of that overconfident guy from the Cell Games that took your credit?" he asked.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, Videl Satan, Hercule's daughter" he affirmed. "She's a pretty good fighter in her own right, for someone who doesn't know how to harness their energy. She's even a bit stronger than her father by now."

"That's a low hurdle to jump" Trunks mumbled, remembering the guy from seven years back. "Though I suppose not for a normal human."

"She has a streak for justice on her" Gohan continued. "I'm not sure if it's just because she was raised thinking she was the daughter of a hero and had shoes to fill, but either way, even now that she knows that her father didn't beat Cell, she hasn't let up. She, uh, doesn't like being lied to either… she singled me out the day I showed up at school."

Trunks huffed. "Well, you're sort of too honest to tell that believable of a lie" he pointed out.

"What?! That's not true, I can totally tell a lie!" Gohan argued.

"Watch" Trunks said simply.

"Watch what?" Gohan asked.

Trunks shook his head. "No, watch" he said. "My dad told me you tried to cover the Dragon Radar as a watch when you all were on Namek."

Gohan blushed as he recalled that, calling the device almost the size of his head a timepiece. " _How did Vegeta even remember that?"_

"He bought it for a moment, then figured it out within the next couple hours, as he told me" Trunks continued. "Judging by the sound of it, your abilities to tell a lie haven't improved that much."

Huffing, Gohan looked down. "Fine, I guess you're right" he muttered.

Trunks took a sideways glance at Gohan's pout before chuckling, drawing the dark haired demi-Saiyan's attention. "What is it?"

"Nothing, I just…" Trunks trailed off. "You're so much different from my master in so many ways, and yet in some ways, you're exactly the same" he said. "I wonder if you would have been like this in my time if the androids hadn't shown up, if our world had turned out more like this one..."

There really wasn't any way to respond to what was being said, as the two continued their walk in silence for some time. Besides a slight breeze and the distant rumble and honking of cars in the distance, it was mostly silent out.

Gohan let his mind wander, before settling on a specific point. "Oh, I need to thank you" he said suddenly.

Trunks let his head go and stopped to look at Gohan. "Thank me? For what?"

"That bit of sword fighting you taught me" Gohan said. "It probably saved my life the other day."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, one of my arms was shot, but I got a sword away from one of the guys who were attacking me" Gohan explained. "If I didn't know how to use a sword in a fight like that, I might have lost that one."

Trunks raised his eyebrows. "Oh, well I'm glad it was useful for you" he said. "Who was it you were fighting?"

"Right then, it was Bojack and one of his crew. I'm not sure who it was, I don't remember any of them having a sword before" Gohan said.

Trunks' eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, Kogu" he said.

"Kogu?"

"He was the one that was matched up with me in that tournament back then" Trunks said. "He tried using his sword on me before I took him out. Bojack blindsided me after I defeated him, but that's probably why you didn't recognize him. You never saw him."

"Oh" Gohan said. "That makes sense, I guess."

Trunks nodded. "Anyways, back to what you were saying before, before we got sidetracked that is. You were talking about having a problem with this girl?"

Gohan slumped. "Oh, right" he said. "Well, she found out a lot about me, a lot I told her, but…"

"But what?" Trunks pushed.

"Well, she asked me to train her" Gohan said. "To use her ki and become a warrior, like us."

"Okay, and…" Trunks said, egging him on.

"That's the problem" Gohan said. "I'm not sure if I should train her."

"Problem? I don't see a problem with that" Trunks said, confused. "You said she's got a sense of justice, you don't think she'd abuse her power, right?"

"No, that's not it" Gohan denied. "No, it's… it's complicated."

"The main reason is, well, you know that old saying? 'With great power comes great responsibility'? Well, that actually tends to apply to us. Every time a threat has come to the planet, basically anyone with power gets dragged into it. No matter what, how strong they are, any of that. When the Androids showed up, all of us went to the fight, when only about three of us had the power to do anything. Against Cell, even when I was the only one left with enough power to stop Cell, after he killed you, everyone attacked Cell, and he blew them away like it was nothing. Even when Buu showed up, Krillin and Tien both had to try to take him on on their own, just because they were the only ones capable of doing anything in that moment, no matter how little."

"Videl… she charges right into entire mobs of criminals armed to their teeth with guns, with nothing but her fists on her. If I brought her into our world, I feel like she'd come into situations where she'd have to charge into something that would kill her. Even if it wasn't something that she would have to do as a warrior of the planet, I know she'd do it anyways, because she'd have the means to attempt something."

"And you know, the enemies we're facing aren't exactly getting any weaker. I don't know what it is, but every enemy to come to Earth has been stronger than the last. Frieza was much more dangerous than your father was, then the Androids made him look tame, and Cell made the Androids appear like nothing. Dabura was at least as strong as Cell, if not stronger, and Buu came along with the power to destroy the universe. No enemy that comes our way is going to be something she can reasonably take on if this keeps up, and I don't know if I'll always be there to save her."

Gohan caught his breath as he finished off his rant of worries. The two had stopped moving for the moment, and Trunks let everything Gohan had spewn out sink in. "I see where you're coming from, Gohan" Trunks said. "But I also see something else."

"What is it?" Gohan asked.

"Whenever this next threat comes to Earth, Videl is aware of your world and what whatever threat it is will mean. Do you think, if she's as passionate about this as you say, that her not having _any_ power at all is going to change whether or not she tries something?"

Gohan's eyes widened, but Trunks wasn't done yet. "If she wasn't able to do anything, she'd just be completely defenseless, right? The way I see it, now that she's aware of the life you lead, there's no real point in _not_ teaching her, because this way, when that next threat comes, she'll at least have some measure of defending herself, right?"

"I…" Gohan said, trailing off. "I didn't think about it that way…" he admitted.

"Different life, different outlook" Trunks shrugged.

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, you're… you're completely right Trunks. I didn't look at the situation that way before… I guess that settles it."

* * *

 **Satan City - Later**

* * *

The day had been trying, to say the least, but at least it was about over.

She had spent hours over at Sharpner's place with the two of them, going over what they had learned about their resident enigma. She still got the feeling that it hadn't quite sank in, and quite honestly, it hadn't sank in for her either. The extent of the iceberg she had uncovered that was Son Gohan's secret identity was too big for her to comprehend right now.

Landing outside the hotel she was staying at, she capsulized her jet copter and walked inside, still in a bit of a daze, her mind never ceasing in working a mile a minute. She had a feeling she was going to have trouble sleeping that night.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she almost didn't notice the concierge flagging her down. "Miss Satan!" broke through her murky head, jarring her out of her thoughts and bringing her back to the present.

"What is it?" she asked a bit more snappishly than she intended to.

The young man ran up to her. "My apologies, Miss Satan, but I have a note for you."

"A note?" she asked.

The man nodded, fishing a small slip of paper out of his pocket. "Right here, madame" he said, handing it to her. "A young man came by earlier and dropped it off for you."

Videl blinked, perplexed. "Oh, uh, thank you" she said.

"No problem, Miss Satan, please enjoy your evening" the concierge said, retreating back to the office.

When he was gone, Videl resumed making her way towards the elevator, which opened right away when she pressed the button. Stepping inside, she hit the button for her floor, letting the doors close behind her as she began moving up.

Her curiosity grew as she turned the note in her hands. It was only a small piece of paper, folded in two. As the ride up began, she unfolded it and brought it up to eye level. It was short, as she had predicted, and the handwriting was very familiar.

" _Gohan"_ she thought, shocked. She wasn't even sure how he knew where she was, it's not like she had told him. Deciding to ponder that later, she read the contents.

" **Sorry about earlier, Videl, I had some things I had to think about, but a friend helped me sort them out. If you're still interested in training, I'd be happy to do my best and help teach you.**

 **Sincerely, Gohan"**

Videl read the note over two or three times, only stopping when the doors opened in front of her. Clutching the note in her hand, she felt a warm feeling bubble in her chest, and a smile spread across her face.

" **I had some things to think about"**

She definitely planned to ask him what things. She hoped that it wasn't trust issues like she had worried, but right now, those thoughts were the furthest from her mind.

All she could think about was learning from Gohan. Learning the super strength, the laser blasts, and perhaps the most exciting part…

" _I'm going to be able to fly."_

* * *

 **Aaaaaaaalright, sorry about that folks, that did take a** _ **little**_ **longer than I had intended for it it. Holidays were… well, they were hectic to say the least, and my free time didn't exactly help me, considering this chapter didn't want to be written.**

 **Speaking of the chapter, I'm sorry that you had to wait this long for this shorter bit. This was meant to be a filler chapter, but I was hoping for it to be a bit longer. Sadly, there just wasn't the content for it.**

 **On the bright side, we're going into one of the parts I'm most excited to right. The Training Arc (good lord I sound like a damn anime writer… wait a minute…). Remember how Videl's training lasted a couple episodes in the anime? Well, I have some huge expansions I'm excited to try out. This isn't going to be the same old training sequence you're used to (I hope!).**

 **Anyways, the usual, before I go. Hopefully the next few chapters are going to be worth some more reviews, I know these last couple must have been a bit boring.**

 **Iwik - I try to break the stereotypes of these characters. Chi-chi is overbearing, but really she just wants the best for her kids. The fact that in this story, Gohan's pure purpose for going to school is making friends, it only made sense.**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - you pretty much hit the nail on the head, as I showed by Gohan's little vent session. I will say that I'm going to… let's say** _ **not**_ **go overboard with how strong Videl gets, though.**

 **Fkanything - It's got a purpose, sorry if it's not to your liking, but I didn't just bring it back for shits and giggles, trust me**

 **SheliaShalia - All in due time, sorry that this chapter wasn't quite as long as the last ones**

 **Anyways, that's about all for now. I will be getting a job quite soon her, so I may have less time than usual to work, but hopefully I can manage some form of consistency for updates in the future as well.**

 **With that, I hope you all enjoyed, and I hope that our upcoming arc will be to your liking!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Poll ended in favor of referring to the elder Trunks as Future Trunks, that is all for the announcements here.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 - What Is Ki?**

* * *

 **Mount Paozu - One Week Later**

* * *

It was relatively early in the morning. Given that summer had ended some time prior, there was a light nip in the air at the hour, but nothing more than that. The air was fresh, the sky only sprinkled with a few sparse clouds, even still dark on the horizon, and nothing but the sounds of nature surrounding him.

Gohan sat outside, dressed in his indigo gi that he had worn for the World Martial Arts Tournament, tail laid across the ground behind him. In his hands, he was pouring over some last minute information in a rather delicate scroll.

The scroll itself, among a few others currently in Gohan's possession, were received from Roshi. While the old turtle hermit had mostly been outclassed by his students by this point, he was still knowledgeable, and given his age, had many old tomes on the art that he had mastered. While he had enough of a basic understanding of ki and mastery of it himself, that didn't necessarily translate to an innate knowledge of it.

" _Who woulda thought that this would mean studying for_ me _too?"_ he wondered amusedly.

While he was able to teach Lime the basics, that was mostly out of self defense, making sure that if anything came after her in these dangerous parts, she'd be safe. So his shallow and basic knowledge of the workings of the art were enough. Since Videl was _likely_ going to put her learnings into practice daily, having a much more intimate and complete understanding of ki would be something helpful in the long run.

And Gohan would be lying if he said that much of what he was learning, he didn't find intriguing. While part of it was for study, he was re-reading it out of interest. Even the super advanced techniques not covered by the scrolls he had been lent could be connected back to what he was reading about here.

But more research on the subject would have to wait until later. It was relatively faint, but a very familiar energy source was flying his way. He carefully rolled up the scroll and put it back in its satchel, he hovered back over to his home, up to window and setting it inside on his desk. Gently closing his window as not to wake his brother up, he returned back to the field where he awaited Videl. It was only a short distance from the house, but it was relatively flat, good training grounds.

Truth be told, he was actually looking forward to this. It was a new experience, and to be honest, ever since Videl seemed to accept him for who he was, he felt a lot more comfortable with the idea.

"Of course I'm probably not going to get away from today without even a minor interrogation…" Gohan chuckled to himself. That's just who she was. And he didn't really have an issue being honest now that she was in the know. Well, with the obvious exceptions.

He took a nervous glance at his tail. He didn't really want to hide said appendage, but at the same time, he had a feeling it was far too soon for him to share his heritage. Being a warrior with the power to destroy the planet was one thing, but being an alien was a bit more of a bomb to drop. " _I don't want to risk ruining this when it's just settled down…"_ he thought as he tucked it inside his gi. " _Besides, she'll probably be too distracted by it to do what she has to do."_

A distant whine in the air snapped him out of his thoughts, drawing his eyes to a jet copter on the horizon. He raised a hand into the air, sending out a wide energy blast. Low power, but flashy enough to catch the eyes of anyone for the surrounding few miles, at least. Sure enough, the aircraft began descending in his direction.

He stood up, straightening out his navy gi, watching as the vehicle touched down across the field. The hatch opened, and Videl hopped out, before quickly capsulizing the jet copter, and turning towards Gohan.

She was wearing an outfit that he hadn't seen on her before, a dark blue tank top with the words "FIGHT" imprinted on it in big red letters, and wearing a loose fitting long sleeved yellow shirt beneath it, and white jeans on under those.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't think she looked good, though she would probably try to kill him if he said it.

As she drew near, he also noticed that she wasn't wearing that scowl he had become so accustomed to seeing, or her natural guarded expression. Rather, she looked quite happy. It was at that moment that Gohan realized _just how much_ she had wanted this training. He wondered if she would keep up her resolve when things started.

* * *

 **Flashback - Roshi's Island**

* * *

" _Oh, taking on a student of your own?"_

 _Gohan nodded. "Yeah, and I was wondering if you could help me out a bit, Master Roshi. I mean, you trained my dad, and Krillin, and a bunch of others. I really want to do this right."_

 _Roshi stroked his beard. "I see, well, I'll do what I can, I suppose" he said, shuffling upstairs. "Gimme just a minute here young man, I'll be right back down. I may have a few things to help you out."_

* * *

Gohan snapped out of his reverie as Videl drew near. "Hey Videl" Gohan said cheerfully, waving.

"Hey Gohan" Videl greeted back, matching Gohan's happy tone.

"So, I take it you're ready to get started?" he asked.

Videl smirked. "I was born ready, trust me" she said.

" _Well she's certainly spirited"_ Gohan thought amusedly. "We'll see" he said aloud.

The smirk on Videl's face was unwavering. "So what's first then, I'm ready to start right now" she said.

"First?" Gohan asked, reaching up to pop his neck. He smoothly lowered his arms and settled into a fighting stance. "First, Videl, you're going to be sparing with me."

* * *

" _Fight her?" Gohan asked._

" _Her?" Roshi asked, shooting up. "It's a girl? How does she look, what's her-"_

" _She's 17, Roshi" Gohan said firmly._

" _Oh, hehe, sorry there, got carried away" Roshi said, rubbing the back of his head and sitting back down._

" _Anyways, you were saying?" Gohan asked. "Why would I fight her right off the bat when she doesn't have a single spark of ki control?"_

" _That's exactly why and when you want to do this, sonny" Roshi said. "I'm sure you've got something akin to a taste for the difficulty of honing your skill, but from what I can tell, all you Saiyans have it easy. Mastering the art isn't an easy task in the slightest."_

" _I get that, but that doesn't answer why-"_

" _Of course it answers why" Roshi cut him off. "Think about it, no one goes on a journey for the hell of it. To get them on their way…"_

* * *

" _Give them a mountain to climb"_ Gohan thought as he saw Videl's confidence shake slightly.

* * *

" _Fighting their master right at the beginning will weed out the worthy pupils" Roshi said, bulking up for emphasis. "I'm not saying land them at Yemma's doorstep, or the hospital, but show them the gap in power, young man."_

 _Gohan's gears were turning. "I think I get it" he said. "By fighting me, it will give her a goal to surpass, to work for. And if it overwhelms her right at the beginning, she probably isn't going to get very far anyways. Is that what you're saying?"_

" _Dead on, my boy."_

* * *

"Wait, fight you? Already?" Videl asked. Her posture was shaken a bit, but she didn't seem afraid, more confused than anything. "Shouldn't there be training before that?"

Gohan shook his head. "I've got my reasons for this, Videl" he said. "So, are you willing?"

Videl blinked, uncertain for a moment, before sinking into her own fighting stance, a familiar scowl adorning her face. "Of course I am, have you forgotten who I am already?" she asked.

Gohan cracked a small smirk of his own. "I'm just making sure" he said simply. "Come at me whenever you're ready."

He didn't twitch, and neither did the pigtailed crime fighter. The brisk wind washed across the field, the small gap between them.

Videl lunged forward, sending out a quick strike, quick by human standards anyways. Gohan leaned ever so slightly, allowing the attack to miss. Not an unexperienced fighter herself, however, she recovered and swung around with a roundhouse kick as her first blow missed. Gohan jumped back, letting her hit nothing but air.

He glided slightly, putting a few extra feet of distance between them again. He settled into the exact same stance they began with as Videl rushed him again.

Instead of single blows, aimed for individual damage, Videl got close to him and began sending out rapid attacks, aiming for the purpose of overwhelming him with speed. Her technique was great, but Gohan blocked and deflected every single one. She feinted an attack at his side, before ducking and rolling around behind him, but her followup was blocked just as easily as the rest.

Catching the attack with one hand, he raised his other hand below the guard, open palm pointed at Videl, and launched an extremely weak kiai attack. The wave of force wasn't designed to inflict any damage, but it was strong enough that Videl was pushed into the air, yelping in surprise, and crashed to the ground ten feet away.

He winced, not having expected it to have had that much effect. Videl groaned a bit and sat up, but she was obviously worse for wear after that blast. He decided that, short as it was, that would be enough. "Videl, are you okay?" he asked, floating over.

Videl rubbed her back. "Well, I'm gonna feel that one tonight, but yeah" she said, groaning lightly. "Kami, it's one thing to see your powers, but it's a whole other deal to be on the receiving end of them."

"Sorry, that was a bit stronger than I meant for it to be" Gohan apologized. "I only meant to push you over, not blow you through the air like that" he said as he extended a hand down to her.

She grasped it and pulled herself up. "I don't think it really mattered" she huffed. "I didn't get much in the way of any attacks on you, although you probably expected that." She gave him an annoyed look. "Fastest take down I've ever been a part of. What was the point?"

"It was for you to get a look" Gohan said. "This training is going to be really tough, there's no guarantee you'll even see results anytime soon." He took a step back. "You see the difference between us, and after experiencing it, and seeing how far you have to go, I need to know. You still up for it?"

"You kidding?" Videl huffed. "How am I ever going to be able to kick your ass for this if I don't?"

"Heh heh, right…" Gohan chuckled nervously. "Well, in that case, I guess we should start with the basics."

Videl crossed her arms. "Well, lay it on me" she said. "I'm ready to go."

Chuckling, Gohan sat down, motioning for Videl to do the same. "Before we can do anything, you've got to learn exactly what it is we're dealing with here. So to start, I'm going to teach you about ki."

Videl frowned as she sat down. "I'm pretty sure your friend covered that already, Gohan" she said. "It's spiritual energy that you can use with training, right?"

"That's… about the very least you can possibly tell someone about it" Gohan said, holding his hand out. "I'm guessing she gave you the little explanation about cultures, right? She was really interested in that aspect of it."

Videl nodded. "Yeah, like how things like chakra or mana were really just other names for it, right?"

Gohan nodded. "That's pretty much it. You see, while various cultures have practiced it in different ways, and had different names and understandings about it, it's more or less all the same. Ki, or by any other name, is life energy that flows through all living things. Humans, animals, the trees and grass, even the sun and the Earth have their own energies." With his hand extended, he willed a small orb to congeal above his palm, a soft yellow ball. "This energy is more than some fuel to be harnessed, it's what gives and supports life, flowing through us just as importantly as our blood."

Videl became entranced by the small pocket of ki that Gohan was holding. It was faint in the early morning light, but unlike anything she had ever seen. It was far different from Lime's example even. "Uh huh…" she murmured.

Gohan pulled his hand back. "But you should never underestimate it either" he said. "Ki is dangerous as a tool, as a weapon, for both the person using it-" he said has he raised his hand, pointing at a nearby boulder, "-and for whoever is on the receiving end."

He punctuated his point by releasing the ball as a blast, darting through the air before detonating against the rock, blowing it to pieces instantly. He turned back to Videl with a stern face. "I'm not going to sugarcoat it Videl, just getting the power is a huge challenge in of itself, but getting a fine control for it is harder. If you're not careful, your techniques can backfire and injure yourself, or worse, kill someone you didn't mean to." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wasn't exaggerating at all before, when I said that my power could destroy the planet. So imagine what you could do to someone if your strength slipped. I'm stronger than most people, but that doesn't change the effect here."

"This is going to be tough training, but we're going to stay on something until you have a good control over it before we move on to anything past that, which means this could take a while." He grinned nervously. "I know you're… a little on the impatient side-"

"Hey!"

"-but you're going to have to bear it, this isn't something you can mess around with if you plan on actively using it. Even Lime, who only uses her ki as a last resort, had to go through a lot of training."

He could practically see the wheels in Videl's head turning as she processed what had been said. He knew it was a lot that he had dumped on her all at once, but it couldn't be avoided. He remembered what his power had done when he was younger, and he was going against people who could destroy planets. He didn't doubt that Videl was going to be facing more common crooks than universal emperors or biodroids from the future.

He clapped his hands together to snap her out of her thoughts. "Just wanted to make sure you knew ahead of time. Now, are you ready to get started?" he asked.

Videl blinked. "Wh- already? I thought you were going to lecture a lot more than that" she said.

Gohan smirked. "Well, I told you the basics of what you're getting into. There's going to be more going into each training exercise we do, but we can't get there until we can get your own ki out."

"My own… Yeah, alright" Videl said.

With a nod, Gohan held out his hand and created another ball of ki. "To start, I'm going to have you go for something easy" he said. "You're going to be trying to draw out your own energy, just enough so that it's visible. You don't need to be trying to make any blasts right away, just focus on drawing some outside of your body."

"Alright, but how do I do that?" she asked, slightly annoyed at his tone. "I can't exactly do that without the faintest clue how."

"Oh, right" Gohan said. He thought for a minute, before letting out a breath. "Alright, this is probably going to be one of the trickiest parts of it." He crossed his leg in front of him. "You're sorta going to be meditating, but not quite. You need to close your eyes and clear your mind, and just focus on feeling your own body."

He cupped his hands in front of him. "Everyone has ki inside them, but one of the hardest parts is learning how to call on it to begin with" he explained. "Your focus should be to calm yourself to the point where you can feel your entire body, and search in the center of your being for your energy. Once you find it, you need to grab it, to channel it out." He waved his hands a bit. "The easiest place for ki to be channeled to, for most people, is their hands, so draw it out, and then pull it out and hold it in your hands."

"This sounds like a lot of religious crap" Videl said bluntly. "'Center of my being'? 'Feel my entire body'? Could you be any more vague?"

Gohan raised his hands placatingly. "Sorry Videl, but that's the best way to describe it, I swear" he said. "I know it sounds kind of weird, but once you get it, it's going to be second nature, so trust me."

Her eyes softened and she let out a sigh. "Well, I'll trust you, but I still don't really understand how to 'pull my energy out' and all that stuff you were talking about."

"Really, it comes down to feeling it, Videl" Gohan said. "When you feel it, you'll know how to pull it out. Just follow your instincts."

"I'll try…"

"Hey, it's going to be easier than you think" he said supportively. "It's going to be tricky the first time, sure, but you've grown up doing martial arts, so you're already more in tune with your body than you probably even realize."

Videl let out a long breath. "Right" she said, fire reigniting in her eyes before she closed them. "Close eyes, empty mind, feel my entire being…" she murmured.

Her breathing began slowing, and her body relaxed. " _That's one advantage of this area"_ he thought with a smile. " _Mt. Paozu is nice and calm, at least here since my dad scared away all the troublemakers in the area…"_

"GOOOOOOOOOOHAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

Gohan flinched as Videl's eyes shot open with a growl. He facepalmed. " _Except one…"_

Goten ran across the field, arms out beside him as he ran. "There you are Gohan, I was wondering where you were when you weren't in bed when I woke up and then you weren't anywhere inside so I tried to look for your energy and I felt you outside and-"

"Whoa, whoa, easy there squirt" Gohan said, torn between chuckling and whispering.

Goten's head turned to the side, noticing Videl for the first time. "Who's she, Gohan? She's pretty, is she your girlfriend?"

Gohan's face erupted into a fiery shade of red. "GOTEN!" he shouted, a spark of energy crackling across his torso in reaction. "What are you doing up this early?"

He cocked his head to the side. "What's wrong big brother?" he asked.

A low growl sounded from behind Gohan. "G-Goten, please, just go back inside for now" he said quietly. "Just until later, alright?"

Goten looked down. "Okay, but when can I come back out Gohan?" he asked.

"Just… wait… for me… later" Gohan said through his teeth.

Face contorting into a pout, Goten turned around. "Fine, Gohan…" he said dejectedly, hopping up and flying back to the house.

Gohan let out a breath. He loved Goten, but his curiosity could be a bit… overwhelming on occasion. "Sorry about that Videl" he said as he turned back around. "I… Videl?"

"Your brother… he was flying" she said in disbelief.

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, what about it?" he asked. " _What's the issue, she knows that flight is possible with this."_

She sent a pointed look in Gohan's direction. "I thought this stuff was supposed to be _hard_ to learn" she huffed. "But your brother can't be more than eight, and he's doing it."

"He's seven" Gohan said.

"Not helping!"

Gohan raised his hands. "Settle down, alright" he said soothingly. "Look at it this way Videl, you would have trouble learning a foreign language, wouldn't you? Well, someone who grows up speaking that language would have it easy right from the beginning. It's the same thing, Goten's been learning this stuff ever since he was old enough to walk, so he's going to have it down even though he's younger than you."

Videl huffed again, but didn't argue. Gohan had a feeling it had just been a small blow to her pride, knowing that someone less than half her age had known how to do this while she had no idea. "L-Let's get back to it" he said, sitting down himself. "Just clear your mind and focus on finding your core."

"I didn't forget that already..." Videl muttered as she closed her eyes again, breathing slowing gradually. Intentional or not, Gohan could feel her ki signature slowly mellowing, becoming calmer as she meditated.

" _This may take a while"_ Gohan thought. " _She doesn't have the advantage of Saiyan blood to help her out. And I don't think throwing her at a mountain is going to help in this case"_ he shuddered as he recalled his early training. Piccolo sure knew how to get results, but the path there was _brutal_.

He almost wanted to try and get in contact with Piccolo, to see if King Kai couldn't let them talk, but he doubted that his old mentor's teaching style would be as efficient for Videl. He got enough basics from Roshi that he should be able to make due. Maybe once the Dragon Balls had been restored and Piccolo and his dad were back, he could get some extra tips or training from them.

" _Eyes on the target, not the horizon"_ Gohan thought. Getting her to have a firm grasp would be a mission all in itself. Hopefully by the time school started back up in a couple weeks after the school itself was repaired, he could have her working on techniques. But whether or not that was happening was still to be seen.

Gohan crossed his legs in front of him and cupped his hands as he closed his eyes as well. Videl would likely be at this for a long while. " _No problem getting some meditation of my own done."_

He let the world around him fade out as he fell into a trance.

* * *

 **Kami's Lookout**

* * *

Dende fell to the floor, panting. His eyes had never wanted to slam shut as much as they did in that moment, but an immense feeling of relief flowed through him.

"Are you alright, Dende?" Mr. Popo said, running over to check on the young guardian.

He didn't answer right away, catching his breath. A moment passed, and he felt like he could answer. "Better than alright" he sighed, laying flat. Even the cold, hard tile of the Lookout felt inviting at the moment. "It's done, finally done…"

He had been up, without break, for literal weeks, focusing on nothing but holding the Earth's energy fields together after that hellish monster had ripped the dimensions asunder. Hence his exhaustion, now that he had stabilized the damage to the Earth.

Passing out on the precipice of the floating temple didn't even sound like a particularly bad idea at the moment, though he was shifted as something softer slid under him, and he was risen into the air.

"Excellent work Dende" Popo praised. "Carpet, please take him to his room, the young guardian needs his rest."

"Thanks Popo…" Dende muttered. "Hopefully the Earth can go without needing me for a week, I think that's about how long I'm going to sleep for…" he trailed off as his consciousness began to fade.

"The Earth should be just fine" Popo said kindly as his flying carpet carried Dende away. "I've had to watch over this planet for brief periods between the arrivals of previous Kamis, you rest as long as you require."

The young Namekian didn't respond, having already lost any wisp of consciousness he may have had, leaving the permanent denizen of the Lookout by himself. He smiled, feeling some amount of pride in how far Dende had progressed as the Earth's new guardian in his short seven years. After all, repairing the planet's energy in such a manner was no small task.

"One can hope that the damage was contained" Mr. Popo thought aloud as he overlooked the planet below. "It was a superb job merely fixing it here, however, I would hate to imagine what would happen if such a distortion had spread elsewhere…"

* * *

 **Capsule Corp - Later**

* * *

"So he's just sitting out there with some girl?" Trunks asked.

" _Mmhmm, yeah, they've been out there for hours"_ Goten answered on the other end. " _I dunno what they're doing, seems really boring though."_

"Huh, weird" Trunks shrugged as he walked around with the phone. "Never really thought your brother hung out with girls. That's a little cooler than I thought he would be."

" _Gohan's the coolest! What do you mean?!"_ Goten huffed.

Trunks sniggered. "That geeky costume begs to differ" he said.

" _I bet you're just jealous of Saiyaman"_ Goten shot back.

"As if, if I needed a disguise, I'd just go Super Saiyan. None of those regular humans would ever put it together."

" _That's not fair, you know Gohan can't go Super Saiyan anymore"_ Goten said.

"Not my fault" Trunks said as he walked around the corner. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, coming to a stop as he nearly ran into someone. "S-sorry" he said, looking up. "Oh, hey future me!"

Future Trunks looked down. "Hey there" he said.

Trunks turned back to the phone. "Hey Goten, wanna say hi to the future me?" he asked. "He makes Gohan look booooooooring, he's so cool."

" _Liar, Gohan's cooler"_ Goten said before Trunks put him on speaker.

"Oh, um, hey there" Future Trunks said.

" _Hello Trunks from the future"_ Goten chirped. " _Trunks says you're really cool, are you?"_

He chuckled at the straightforwardness of Goku's youngest son. "Well, he keeps telling me I am" he said. "Though personally, I think Gohan's got me beat there."

"Traitor! Who are me and what have you done with me!" Trunks exclaimed.

Blinking, Future Trunks looked down at the younger version of himself. "I feel like you only said that so you could use the 'me' jokes" he said.

"Maybe…" Trunks muttered bashfully.

" _Hah, see Trunks, even the future you thinks Gohan is cooler!"_ Goten said triumphantly.

"Well, I've also got a bit of bias" Future Trunks admitted. "In my timeline, Gohan was actually my master. He did a lot for me, for everyone, really." He then looked down at his younger self. "I also don't think you saw Gohan at the Cell Games, he came through for all of us, in a big way."

" _And now Gohan's got a girl over too"_ Goten said.

"A girl?" Future Trunks asked. "Oh, that's probably the Videl girl he was mentioning."

"Videl?" " _Videl?"_

"One of his classmates, he said he was going to teach her how to use ki" Future Trunks said. "I guess that he's starting with her today."

" _Oh, that's why Gohan didn't want me around"_ Goten realized. " _When I was learning, it was really hard. It's probably really hard for her too."_

Trunks looked up. "Hey, future me, why don't you teach Mai ki too?" he asked. "If Gohan's girlfriend can learn it, can't yours?"

Future Trunks blinked twice. "She's not my… Never mind. I guess we just never really had the chance to teach her."

"Why not do it now?" Trunks asked.

" _Yeah, maybe you can come do it with Gohan"_ Goten added in.

He sighed, scratching his head. "Maybe sometime soon" he said. "But not right now." Given the fact that his companion had barely said a word, or even moved, in the weeks since they arrived in the past, she probably wasn't in a good place to learn… "I've actually got to go for now" he decided aloud.

" _Oh, okay, it was nice meeting you, Trunks from the future"_ Goten said.

"Goten, I don't think it's a meeting if you aren't actually here" Trunks pointed out.

" _You know what I meant!"_

Future Trunks didn't know that it was possible to hear pouting over a phone until that moment. "I'll probably come to visit you guys at some point" he said. "Don't worry."

He turned around to walk back down the hall as his younger self and Goten resumed their conversation. " _Teaching her how to use ki…"_ he'd be lying if he said the idea didn't sound good. He hadn't known Mai for very long before it all happened. And there hadn't been much reason to fight until _that thing_ had shown up and torn their world apart. The few times she tried to fight it, she used some weaponry his mom had produced, not much of her own strength at all.

" _I want to believe that there wouldn't be a reason for her to have to learn it, but I know that's just wistful thinking"_ he thought. There was every chance that history could repeat itself, that the monster that had destroyed his own world could still appear sometime down this timeline. Having her be more prepared when that happened, or when any other enemy appeared.

He sighed, pushing the thoughts from his mind. " _First thing's first"_ he said, stopping outside of a door, before gently pushing it open. "Hey Mai" he greeted. "Want to talk?"

* * *

 **Mt. Paozu**

* * *

The sun was dipping low in the sky by the time Videl's jet copter had made a reappearance. It's occupant was significantly less jovial this time, however.

"It takes time to find your ki, Videl, don't worry about it" Gohan said placatingly. Though perhaps placating was the wrong word, Videl wasn't mad, she just seemed, well, down. "Finding it on your first day would have been nearly impossible anyways. I know you'll get it, it'll just take some time."

"I guess" Videl huffed, less than happy. "I was hoping to notice _something_ though…"

Gohan sent her a smile. "I'm sure you'll have it down before you know it" he promised her. "When you get home, you can keep trying if you want, just be careful if you do manage to find it. Accidentally blowing something up wouldn't be one of the goals here."

Videl snorted at Gohan's feeble joke, which made them both feel a little better. "Alright, Gohan" she said. "I can come back tomorrow, right?"

"Definitely" Gohan nodded. "I'm sure my mom won't mind either. She seemed to like you."

"Eventually…" Videl muttered.

Gohan winced. "Well, after that… whole deal went down, you guys seemed to get along."

"I guess" Videl agreed. "Anyways, thanks again, Gohan."

"No problem, have a safe flight home, Videl" Gohan said.

Videl nodded as she shut the door to the aircraft, as it began rising into the air. Giving her a quick wave as she began flying away, Gohan turned back towards his house, ready for dinner.

" _She's moving fast"_ Gohan thought as he floated back. She may not have gotten any sort of release today, but Gohan definitely noticed a faint spark of energy within her. Whether she noticed or not, she came close. " _As long as she can keep it up, I think she's going to be a quick learner."_ The thought actually made him feel quite happy. He was actually feeling kind of excited about the idea of being able to teach her more about her energy. It was a new experience.

He let a smile creep onto his face. "I can't wait for tomorrow" he said.

* * *

 **?**

* * *

The distant sound of blaring alarms slowly began to work their way past her ringing ears. Disoriented, barely conscious, but her mind was already working a mile a minute as reality slowly faded in around her. She groped around in the dark, trying to find her staff to help her to her feet. "Where is it, damnit…" she muttered.

Footsteps approached, and she felt it be placed into her searching hand. "Here you are, my dear" a more gruff voice said.

She pushed herself to her feet, leaning on the staff. "Thank you. What's the situation. One moment we were trying to launch, the next everything's gone pear shaped."

The figure nearby walked away a bit, and the alarms stopped. "I think you may want to see this" he said.

She rubbed her eyes to clear the last of her vision. It was nearly pitch black around her, only faint lights on along the walls. Walking over, she looked at the console. "What am I looking at."

"These readings, they aren't familiar, they are quite different from home" he said.

Eyes darting across the readout, she began to piece it together. "So, we made it…" she muttered. "That dimensional distortion our instruments picked up must have made a hole just large enough for us to make it through, even if the ship didn't appreciate the fit."

She walked across the console, taking in more information. "We're off our mark, by a wide margin from the looks of it" she continued. "His last location was close to the center of Universe 7, but from what I can see here, we're more around the space between 9 and 6." She slammed the console. "Damnit, that's going to take ages to travel, and we can't jump through the dimensions again, that's been depleted."

Her companion walked up beside her. "Four, maybe five months" he said. "If we can keep the engine fueled, it should take approximately that long to reach that position."

She took a deep breath, dispelling her anger. "We didn't escape our fallen world just to give up at the first major malfunction" she sighed. "It will have been worthless if we can't bring him back."

A few lights popped up along the screen. "I've set the coordinates in the main computer" he said. "Beginning the course now."

A dull thrum rang out from deep within the ship as they began to shift. "Good" she said, sitting down. "It's better to be late than to never arrive, after all. We have time, time enough to travel to Earth, and we'll tear them apart looking if we have to. The fate of our world depends on it."

* * *

 **Another chapter down, and the first installment in the training arc. Being more of an introductory chapter, there wasn't a whole lot going on, though as you may have noticed, Videl hasn't even found her ki yet. Yeah, I know she was flying day one before, but that's just one of a myriad of changes coming your way in this arc.**

 **I decided to throw in some filler content for you guys so it wasn't 3,000 words of Gohan's internal dialogue as they meditated (pretty sure that wouldn't have been interesting). As well as one big teaser at the end (although knowing myself, everyone's about to know exactly what it is, yay…).**

 **Anyways, lemme check myself before I wreck myself.**

 **Kaithelonechampion - I'm glad you're liking it, that's all I can really hope for as an author. There's more to come with the training, but yeah, it's going to be ANYTHING but short this time around.**

 **Guest - Uh, Kaioken is just a** _ **little**_ **far out, since King Kai is really the only person who knows how to teach it**

 **Iwik - Always happy to hear I get the desired effect out there!**

 **inFamousSlyMonkey - yup, but you just gotta know that it's in Gohan's character to worry, after all. Big brain and big heart.**

 **Nauq - I'm extremely pleased to hear you're loving the story so much. I'm trying my best to do a lot of things and the feedback that it's coming out well is music to my ears.**

 **Anyways, that's about all for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and feel free to drop a review with your thoughts on the way out. And I will see you all next time!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the long wait guys. I'll spare you the long winded excuse, and just say, being an adult sucks. Hopefully this was worth the wait.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18 - Strength of Soul**

* * *

"Slow down, Gohan!" Goten yelled, flapping his arms.

Gohan backpedaled through the air. "Slowing down won't help you train" Gohan retorted.

Puffing his cheeks, Goten's aura flared up around him, sparking golden. He charged straight at Gohan, fist cocked back as he accelerated. Keeping his own power low, Gohan swerved to the side as his brother swept past, and used his momentum to fling him away, adding extra force to it with a kiai, sending him barreling through the air.

Gohan was never one to waste time. Videl had made great progress over the past four days, but she still had yet to draw her ki out. She was on the cusp, he could tell, but since there wasn't much he could do to help push her over, he used her meditation time to help train Goten.

" _Dad was right about our generation having to protect the Earth. Even though he's coming back, we need to be ready. Goten and Trunks are a part of this generation to boot, not just me."_

Goten flipped in the air before darting back at Gohan. Goten flung a pair of blasts at him that arced, coming onto him pincer style. He caught both of them in his bare hands, clapping them together and detonating them, forming a smokescreen. He threw his own blast back out throw the murk, but the detonation never came.

His senses screamed at him as he felt Goten dart behind him. He reacted before he could so much as think, and dropped like a stone, Goten's attack flying over his head. "You're being too direct with your attacks, Goten" Gohan called out as he sent another wave of force his brother's way, but not without dashing up to steady him. "The fake out was good, but you're overextending yourself" he continued. "When you're fighting someone more powerful than you, don't go all in and overshoot. Focus on countering, rather than going on full offense."

Goten huffed, crossing his arms and dropping out of Super Saiyan. "How do I do that, big brother?" he asked.

"Well it's more about technique than power, Goten" Gohan explained, before chuckling. "You want to hear something? You can't tell anyone else though."

"What is it?" he asked.

Overexaggeratedly, Gohan looked side to side, as if looking for spies. "One of the reasons Vegeta never beat Dad was because Dad knew martial arts, actual fighting techniques" he said. "Vegeta's really strong and skilled himself, but his fighting style doesn't have the same refinement Dad's had." He formed a fighting stance as he floated. "A difference in power can be beaten with experience and technique, remember that, Goten."

"Technique…" Goten muttered.

Gohan nodded. "Mom hasn't been training you as much since you became a Super Saiyan, right? And you've been focusing more on raising your power when we were fighting Buu. Try to remember more of what Mom was teaching you, Goten. Maybe you could even beat Trunks the next time you two spar."

Goten's eyes widened, sparkling. "Wow really?" he asked. "Beating Trunks…"

"He's a year older than you, but he's still being taught by his dad" Gohan chuckled. "Now, don't think I'm saying Vegeta's a bad fighter. To be honest, he's a brilliant one. He just doesn't have the same finesse as dad had. That could make the difference in a fight."

He patted his brother on the shoulder. "Let's be done for now, Goten, I need to go check up on Videl."

"Alright Gohan" Goten said, hugging his brother tightly. "Have fun with your girlfriend!"

"GOTEN!" Gohan shouted, voice echoing off the mountains after the miniature demi-Saiyan who was flying away. He turned the other way, beet red face steaming in the cold air at his current altitude.

Cooling off, he turned around and soared back towards the field where Videl was meditating. For the sake of her concentration (and to prevent her wrath) he and Goten had flown quite a ways away, where the sounds of their battle wouldn't carry. Still, such a distance wasn't much when he could to laps around the planet in seconds. He slowed as he settled down a few feet in front of Videl, settling into his own meditative position nearby.

Out of curiosity, he felt out with his ki sense, trying to get a reading on where Videl was at. His eyes widened slightly in surprise when he felt it scraping just below the surface. It was charged, primed, ready to emerge. " _Come on, Videl, you've almost got it…"_

He could feel the air becoming charged around them. A weak force began emanating from the meditating girl, buffeting the grass in the area, and a single spark leapt between her hands, bringing a smile to Gohan's face. Slowly, the energy began to manifest itself, starting off as an infinitesimally small orb and growing in size.

When the ball of energy had grown to about the size of a softball, Videl's eyes opened up, staring wide eyed at the ball of ki hovering between her hands. "This… this is…"

"Congratulations, Videl!" Gohan said happily. "You drew your energy out for the first time, how does it feel?"

Videl raised her hands higher, raising her ball of energy up to her eye level. "It's incredible" she whispered, still transfixed by it. "I was beginning to feel like it wouldn't happen… then I felt something different. My center or whatever you called it, I knew what it was when I felt it."

Gohan formed his own little ball of energy in one of his hands. "I told you that you'd know when you found it" he said.

The energy dissipated from Videl's hands, and she fell backwards, catching herself, breathing heavily. "I didn't… expect that to take so much out of me though…" she panted.

"It gets easier over time" Gohan promised. "It's sort of like working an old muscle, although this time, it's one that you've never really used. _Really_ hard to use at first, but it gets easier to use and stronger when you use it the more you do so."

"I guess that makes sense…" Videl muttered, pushing herself back up into a proper sitting position. "Hey Gohan, out of curiosity, how long did it take you to get your energy the first time?"

"The first…" Gohan mused, before he blanched. "Oh, right that…"

Videl's brow furrowed. "What is it?" she asked.

"Well, I sorta unlocked it immediately" Gohan explained. "But, uh, the methods we used were different."

He flinched at the pointed look he received. "You're telling me that there was a faster way to do this?" she asked dangerously.

Gohan raised his hands. "Well I didn't figure you wanted me to chuck you into a cliff face and make you either blow it up or go splat on it" he said. "Although if I'm wrong I can-"

"No thanks!" Videl said, eyes wide open. "I want to say you're pulling my leg, but I'm learning to not think that so much, jeez, just who was your teacher anyways?"

Gohan half wanted to laugh, half wanted to apologize for her horrified expression. "Well… he was a hard teacher" he said. "He wasn't very kind most of the time, and his training was brutal. But he made sure results happened, and… well, even if he didn't say it much, he cared about me."

"You sound like you have a lot of respect for him" Videl noted, looking intently at him.

"Well yeah, Piccolo taught me everything I know" Gohan said, before slapping a hand over his mouth. " _Crap!"_

"PICCOLO?!" Videl exclaimed. "As in **Demon King Piccolo?!** "

Gohan winced at her volume. "No, Demon King Piccolo was his dad" he said. "Piccolo taught me a lot of what I know about fighting and ki control early in my life. He wasn't exactly kind at first, but he wasn't evil like his father. He even sacrificed himself to save me, twice now."

Videl gave him a skeptical look. "Well if you say so, but I… hold on, _twice?_ How the hell does that work?"

It was too easy. "Tell you what" Gohan said with a smirk. "Once we get past the next step of your training, I'll tell you."

"You're still holding out on me, Son?" Videl asked, though with less malicious force than she had previously.

"You know, if you want everyone you ever meet to tell them every detail of their life, you're gonna have a lot of trouble making friends" Gohan chuckled.

"Most people don't have lives with as much to hide from everyone as yours" Videl countered. "And-" she said, raising her hand as Gohan tried to speak, "I know why you hide it, but my point stands. Anyways, what's this next part of the training?"

"Oh, right" Gohan said, standing up. "Here, before we start, this should help" he said, pointing his hand at Videl, glowing brightly.

"What are you-" Videl asked, before she felt her energy being rapidly restored. She jumped to her feet. "I feel… wow, I feel great!" she exclaimed.

"Not all forms of ki are destructive, you can lend energy to others with practice" Gohan explained. "Since pulling out your ki is still tiring for you, I'll help you keep your energy up for a while."

"Well I definitely am ready to go" Videl said.

"Alright then" he said, forming another ball of energy in his hands. "You see, just how like not all forms of energy is destructive, not all of it is quite so flashy either." The ball of energy sunk back into his palm, and his stance relaxed. "Videl, hit me as hard as you can, if you would."

Raising an eyebrow, Videl sunk into a fighting stance. "If you say so…" she said, before striking out with a side kick, aimed straight for Gohan's torso. Not even the flesh atop his chest gave even a micrometer. "Yeesh, you're like a steel wall" Videl complained as she brought her foot back down, rubbing her knee from the recoil.

"That's the point" Gohan said. "Ki is more than blasts and flight, after all. It's an internal energy, so it stands to reason that it doesn't only have uses externally." Stooping down, he picked a small rock off the ground. "By charging your energy through your body, you can make yourself far physically stronger. You feel less impact and damage from something hitting you, as well as increasing your own strength." He punctuated his point by gripping the stone, then letting the powdered dust fall to the ground.

"So this lesson, I'm guessing it's learning how to charge my body like that?" Videl asked, leaning in interestedly. " _It may not be lasers or flying, but being that powerful alone would be awesome!"_

Gohan nodded. "It's one of the most important aspects of ki usage" he said. "But… there's a catch."

A thoughtful frown found its way to Videl's face. "I don't like the sound of that…" she muttered. "I'll bite, what is it?"

"You see, just like you only have a certain reservoir of ki at your disposal, your body can only actively use so much of it" Gohan said warningly. He pulled his arm in front of him, in clear view. "It's got limits, a fill capacity, so to speak."

Ignoring his immensely fine tuned control, he brought power into his body in the crudest way he could manage. His aura sparked to life, and his muscles began bulging, stressing. "Ki is naturally volatile when it's being harnessed" he said, letting his power drop and his muscles deflate. "So, one of two things need to… Videl?"

Videl jerked her head up, a light blush on her face. "Ah, yeah?!" she asked hurriedly.

Gohan raised an eyebrow, but shrugged off the weird behavior. "Anyways, your body has limits on how much ki it can actively, physically contain. So to increase how much you can use at any time, you need to do one of two things. Either train your body and increase your basic strength, or train your mind and work on your ki control." He sparked his aura to life again, but this time without the physical changes. "Training your body will make it so it can contain more of your power at a time, while training your control will make it less volatile, so you can basically use more of it without the downsides."

"But I don't get it, if working on your control gets rid of the downsides, what's the point in the first one?" Videl asked.

"Not a bad question, but ideally, you'd want to train both, Videl" Gohan explained. "No matter your control, your body still has limits. Besides, you'll find that your reservoirs will actually become larger along with your strength. Essentially, one increases your output, the other helps your finesse."

"Oh…"

Gohan gave her a smile. "It's easier than you think to do both" he said. "Your control will naturally improve the more you use your ki, and normal exercises can still make you stronger… Although, you may need to add some special tricks to make it really effective."

"Tricks?" Videl asked.

"Let's just say that me and my friends have special methods of training" Gohan explained. "One of them has a special room at their house that can simulate multiplied gravity. You do your daily workout at fifty times the Earth's normal gravity, you'll get some _fast_ results."

Videl gave him a disbelieving look. "Fifty times? Isn't that a little crazy?"

With a snort, he shook his head. "The same guy usually warms up at around three hundred times, though he started off a lot lower."

"Well he's got my respect…" Videl muttered.

"He's one of the strongest warriors on the planet" Gohan gave Vegeta his due praise. "He practically does nothing but train, he's obsessed with strength. That drive has saved us a few times, though."

"I guess, but what about you, Gohan?" Videl asked. "How do you usually train? Do you have one of those gravity room things too?"

"No, and I don't use his, he basically lives in it anyways" Gohan chuckled. "Honestly… I don't really have a specific way I've trained. Sometimes I sparred with my dad or my friends, though kata and similar practices helped me out before too. Then I've got…" he paused. "Let's just say I have a friend in high places who has some _unique_ ways to train" he said, mind flashing back to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber and Pendulum Room.

"You're telling me eventually" Videl said warningly, not falling for his vagueness.

"Alright alright" Gohan said. "But for now, let's focus on your training. We don't have endless daylight to chit chat in after all."

"Fine" Videl said, huffing. "How do I do this?"

"It's pretty easy actually" Gohan said. "You see, it's just like drawing your ki out into a ball like you did a bit ago, but you don't draw it out all the way. Instead of manifesting your energy on the outside, let it flow through the parts of your body you want to power up." He paused to look at Videl. "Eventually you'll begin to be able to keep it constantly powered through your entire body, not just specific parts when you call on it."

"Wait, is that why you performed so well in P.E. all those times?" Videl questioned.

Gohan rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Heh, yeah… my body is adapted to using ki, so I have trouble holding back sometimes."

Videl crossed her arms thoughtfully. "So with enough training, you don't even need to be focusing on it to have that superhuman strength… interesting."

"Yeah, that's exactly it" Gohan said.

Videl smirked. "Sounds fun, Son" she said. She tightened her hand into a fist and held it out. "So, my energy right beneath the surface…" she muttered to herself.

Her ki flickered, rising much faster than the last time she needed to call it out. Her muscles spasmed a bit as she began channelling her energy through her arm, making her wince, but she didn't stop. "I… I think I did it" she said through gritted teeth.

Gohan looked around. "Uh… Oh!" He darted over to the edge of the clearing where a large boulder stood embedded in the hillside. Making an energy blade, he cut down twice, severing a relatively thick piece of the stone and letting it fall away. He grabbed it and dashed back over, and held it out in front of him. "Hit this slab, Videl" he said.

Videl huffed, still straining to maintain the output in her arm. Cocking her fist back, she struck straight forward.

 **CRACK**

The stone slab all but shattered, Videl's fist cutting through it with no effort. Her eyes widened in shock, and she hissed in pain, pulling her arm back fast and holding it tenderly. "Gah" she yelped. "I wasn't expecting- GOHAN?!"

Gohan dropped the two remaining pieces he held, and reached up to clean off his face, including a large chunk that had landed just barely to the side of his eye. "Mmphen" he said. Making a confused face, he opened his mouth again and spat out the mouthful of debris inside. "Yuck… I'm fine, Videl" he assured, chuckling. "But you know, I haven't eaten dirt that hard since I went up against Buu, you really surprised me."

Videl relaxed. "Good…" she sighed, before she raised an eyebrow to him. "You fought Buu?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess I never really told you about that, huh…" Gohan asked.

With a shake of her head, Videl sighed. "Dad told me that Buu was an alien who came to terrorize Earth, but he won him over, and Buu's evil brother is the one they killed. How much of that was a lie?"

Gohan chuckled. "You know, less than you probably think" he said, leading to her giving him a perplexed look. "Buu's an alien, but he was more of a child who fought and killed because he didn't know really any better. He had been controlled by a wizard who was taken out of the equation, so that's all he had ever known."

"Your dad went to fight Buu, just like he went to fight Cell, but actually managed to befriend Buu and convince him to stop killing and destroying" Gohan went on to explain. "It's thanks to your dad that Buu is actually on our side now, really, why do you think he's living with you?"

"Why am I not surprised you know about that too" Videl snorted. "So what about his brother, was that true too? And the sleeping gas?"

"Sleeping ga-" Gohan said, before he cut himself off with a sharp breath. "O-Oh, th-that" he said a little shakily. "Uh, y-yeah, gas, that's right. The entire planet was p-put to sleep, and… you're not buying any of this, are you?"

"Nope" Videl said with an unamused expression.

He sighed. "Just… forget about that, alright Videl?"

Videl crossed her arms. "How am I supposed to trust you here again?" she asked. "With you blatantly keeping things from me."

"Just trust me that you _really_ don't want to know" Gohan pleaded.

"Oh quit acting like I'm so delicate already. You don't want to tell me about Cell, I get that, but what could Buu have done that was so bad that you're clamming up about him too?" Videl asked. "I'm starting to think that you're just making up excuses so that you don't have to tell me anything else."

Gohan frowned. "Come on, Videl, that's not-"

"Then what is it?!"

"We all died!"

Both teenagers sitting out in the field fell silent. Gohan swore at himself internally. " _I can't believe I let it out like that!"_ he chastised himself. His tail twitched inside his gi, and he fought down his surmounting stress.

Videl was giving him a scrutinizing look, the one that never failed to make him feel small and insecure. The growing silence was _tangible,_ until she broke it. "What… what exactly do you mean?"

" _You dug your grave, go ahead and crawl into it, Son."_ Gohan sighed aloud. "Buu is… a little more complicated than you think" he led off with. "The Buu you know now, he's the good part of Majin Buu. But when your dad made friends with him, his goodness fought with the darkness inside him, and it… became real. He split into an Evil Buu and Good Buu."

"Evil Buu took Good Buu's power, and kept up what he was doing before he met Hercule. One of the first things he did was butcher almost every single human on the planet" he winced as he said that.

"Butch… Wait, he killed everyone?" Videl asked. "But how? We're all here!"

"..." Gohan stayed quiet, thinking for a moment. "Remember earlier… when I told you my mentor sacrificed himself for me twice?"

Videl nodded, egging Gohan on. "There's more to myths in this world than just ki control" he began, putting his serious face on. "Videl, you've got to promise to never tell anyone else what I'm about to tell you."

"What is-"

"You need to _promise_!" Gohan said seriously.

Videl's eyes grew concerned for a moment. "I promise I'll keep this a secret" she swore.

Gohan let out a relieved breath. "You might not believe me at first anyways" he said. "I don't have any physical proof on me right now. But you see… across the world, there are seven ancient artifacts, called Dragon Balls."

"Dragon Balls?" Videl asked. "Like a dragon's-"

"NOPE!" Gohan cut her off, blushing lightly at the path she took it with. "The Dragon Balls are seven orange glass orbs with red stars inside of them. They're about the size of your fist, pretty small."

"What's so important about them, and what does this have to do with the whole death thing?"

"On their own, they aren't very important" Gohan admitted. "But if you gather all seven of them, you can summon a dragon, known as Shenron." Gohan spread his arms wide. "He's massive, miles long, and hangs out of the sky. And when he appears, he'll grant you three wishes, almost anything, before they go inert for another year."

"That's… well, that's how we're still here even though almost everyone died." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Well, more or less" he said, remembering that it was Namek's Dragon Balls in this circumstance, but he didn't need to get into specifics yet. "The few that survived used the Dragon Balls to bring us all back to life."

By this point, Videl had a look of shock and disbelief on her face. "A wish granting… wait, I've been _dead?!_ " she exclaimed. "And 'we', _you_ died too?! How come I don't remember it?!"

"Easy Videl" Gohan said soothingly.

"How can I be easy learning-"

"You know why I was holding back then" Gohan said tiredly. "And to answer your question, yes, we all died. The only people that didn't die were my dad, a couple friends, and your dad."

"How come no one remembers dying" Videl asked anxiously. "I mean, if this Otherworld thing is a place, wouldn't our spirits go there and-"

" _Easy!_ " Gohan said a little more sharply, putting a hand on her shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. "No one remembers because we were only there for a few hours. The cross between the worlds isn't something easy on the mind, so it's not exactly easy to remember what happened if it was such a brief visit."

"You don't remember anything either?" Videl asked. She still had hints of anxiety in her voice, but her curiosity was back in full swing.

Gohan looked thoughtful for a moment. "I remember snippets" he said. "I spent time in Otherworld while I was alive though, so it was a little easier. I remember standing in Yemma's line, and…" he paused, looking confused. "I… I think I talked to someone, but I can't remember who, or what about…"

" _Damnit, kid, I thought your mind was stronger than that!"_

He blinked. " _That voice… was that who I talked with? I don't know who it is though…"_

"So… I've already died…" Videl muttered. "That's… that's a heavy thing to know."

Gohan snapped out of his thoughts. "You see why I didn't want to say anything, believing in sleeping gas is a lot kinder than knowing you're already on your second chance at life."

Videl shook her head. "It's hard to hear, but I'd rather know the truth than be lied to just to spare my feelings" she huffed. "I'm a big girl, Gohan, I can handle these things."

Gohan deflated. "I guess you're right…" he muttered. "I just don't like causing tension if I can avoid it. I didn't think you were ready to learn something like _that_."

"Didn't think I was ready?" Videl asked. "So you were going to tell me eventually?"

"The world me and my friends are a part of is a lot different than the one you know" Gohan said, while nodding. "There are things I want to tell you, but I don't want to dump all the things on you at once." He sighed, running a finger through his hair. "Honestly, there are too many things I wish I didn't see or experience..." His mind briefly flashed to Namek, watching Krillin be blown apart by Frieza. It didn't have _nearly_ the same level of impact on him as it did his dad, but it was beyond disturbing a scene to watch.

"So… does that mean you're eventually going to tell me about the Cell Games?" Videl asked curiously, tilting her head to the side.

He grimaced. "Uh… maybe?" he offered. "The Cell Games are… something I don't like talking about much, if I'm being honest." He sat down, motioning for Videl to do the same. They were in for another conversation, and it was good for Videl to get some rest after her first physical ki channelling anyways.

Videl sat down, and gave him a curious look. "You already told me about your robot friend, didn't you?" she asked. "That alone sounded really bad, are you telling me that worse went on? Did anyone else die too?"

Gohan swallowed hard, taking a slow breath in. "I… I'll answer that another time" he said less than calmly.

" _So yes"_ Videl guessed. "Well, how about Cell himself. Can you tell me what he was? He didn't look like any human I've ever seen."

Gohan shook his head, trying to clear it from the memories that sparked up inside it. "Yeah, sure" he said, taking a breath. "You… I know, remember that last subject we were discussing in school before the attack?"

Videl thought for a moment before answering. "Yeah, we were learning about the Red Ribbon Army and how-" she cut herself off. "Oh right, how your _dad_ defeated them."

Gohan raised his eyebrows. "You figured out he was my dad? How?" he asked, perplexed.

Raising her hand, she began listing off on her fingers. "His family is the only one with the Son surname on record, you had a few reactions while we were discussing him in class, not to mention how your brother is a _dead ringer_ for his pictures in the history books."

He blinked. "Well… uh, yeah, Son Goku wa- IS, is my dad" he said, catching himself. He continued talking before his stutter could be questioned. "Anyways, my dad… he had a habit of never finishing anyone off, it just wasn't in his nature" he explained. "When he destroyed the Red Ribbon Army, one of their head scientists got away, named Doctor Gero."

"Gero wanted revenge on my dad for destroying the Red Ribbon Army, so he began constructing Androids to kill him. He created a lot, but his main two were Android 17 and Android 18."

"What about Cell?" Videl asked.

"I'm getting there" Gohan said. "Anyways, 17 and 18 were powerful, but he couldn't control them, since they were originally human, and nearly-"

"Hold on, the Androids you're talking about, they were _people_ at one point?" Videl asked. "Did he kidnap them or something?"

"As far as we know, yeah, he kidnapped them and modified them into Androids" Gohan said.

Videl looked queasy as she leaned back. "That's just cruel…" she muttered.

"We've encountered some real villains in our time" Gohan said. "Luckily, 17 and 18 are on our side now. Well, 18 is anyways, but 17 hasn't tried to kill us again, so hopefully he's the same… Anyways, since Gero couldn't control them, he began working on his 'ultimate creation,' a biological android that could absorb them to complete his powers." He sighed. "Cell was a tough fight because Gero collected DNA samples from the most powerful warriors on Earth, and even some of our enemies that came to Earth, and put them into Cell to develop."

"How does that work?" Videl questioned.

"Not entirely sure, but it did mean he borrowed some personality traits, and knew all of our techniques" Gohan shivered. "He also had the ability to absorb energy and people to add to his strength. The only problem with Cell is that he took decades to develop."

"That guy was really dedicated to his revenge I see…" Videl muttered.

"Unhealthily so. Cell was still barely a fetus by the time the Androids showed up" Gohan said. "The funny thing is, we actually had a friend that came from the future to warn us about the Androids ahead of time."

"Why am I not surprised that your biography suddenly includes time travel?"

"He came back to warn us, since they ravaged his timeline, even without Cell. However, he also managed to destroy the Androids before Cell was complete, meaning Cell couldn't get his full power. That Cell instead chose to steal our friend's time machine and come to the past so he could absorb our Androids and terrorize our timeline."

"So let me get this straight" Videl said, raising a hand. "Cell is actually a biodroid from the future with DNA of your entire group, made by a mad scientist with an unhealthy fixation on revenge, and he came back to absorb the Androids that… are on your side now but sounds like they weren't before, so he could become complete?"

"'Perfect' as he called it" Gohan said, recoiling at the word. "Cell had an obsession with 'perfection', since that was what he was meant to be, the perfect warrior. What you saw in the Cell Games, that was Cell after he reached his Perfect Form."

"Not even your enemies can ever be simple, huh Gohan?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Over my life, I've fought my evil uncle and his friends, an alien tyrant who had control over a large part of the universe, lots of robots made by one old guy in a dead army, Cell, and the living piece of magical bubblegum that is Majin Buu. So I'd say no, we can't ever have simple people to fight."

Videl chuckled along with him. "You know, there are some disturbing parts, but a lot of these things do sound really interesting" she said. "I… I gotta admit, I kind of enjoy hearing about these insane things you and your friends have done. Hey, speaking of, you never really told me about any of your friends besides Piccolo. What are they like?"

"Well, I can tell you, but keep their names to yourself. They want to stay out of the spotlight just as much as I do, and you'll probably recognize some of them" Gohan said.

"Just throw it on the pile with the giant wish granting dragon" Videl said.

Gohan smiled. "Alright, well, you already know my dad is Son Goku. I'm guessing you know his name from the old tournaments too, and not just his Red Ribbon Army conquest."

"Of course, you remember who _my_ dad is, right? I've forgotten more about the WMAT than anyone else."

"Good point. Well, my dad's best friend Krillin is in our group. Yes, that Krillin, the one on the police force" he said, smirking as Videl opened her mouth. "Tien Shinhan is also with us, and of course the one who taught my dad, Master Roshi."

"You mean the legendary Turtle Hermit?! He's still around?!" Videl exclaimed.

"I don't think he's ever going to die of old age" Gohan said, amused by her excitement. "I'm not sure how, but he told me he's over 400 years old before."

"Literally everyone you've told me about is famous or well known in some way" Videl said disbelievingly. "They're all super powered warriors?"

"Yup" Gohan nodded. "Piccolo also came over to our side about the time I was four or five, even though he was enemies with my dad at first. Another one of my dad's enemies, Vegeta, also joined us eventually." He gave Videl a glance. "He's the guy I mentioned earlier who warms up his workout in a three hundred times gravity training session."

"Crazy…" Videl muttered.

Gohan chuckled. "That's one word for him, just don't let him hear it" he warned. "We also have some other friends with us, but they're all that are in our main gang." He paused for a moment. "Well, Yamcha has stopped fighting as much, but he'll come to the front line if things are looking desperate."

"Yamcha?" she asked. "What's up with him?"

"Well, really, the only thing is that he's the weakest out of our group. He's still very strong, but he doesn't feel like he can help as much because of that" Gohan explained. "He can be a little timid, and the guys tease him a bit over it, but to be honest, I think he's really brave. Even when he's completely outmatched he's willing to come fight, even if only to try."

"I see…" Videl murmured, taking in the information. "You say he's the weakest?"

Gohan nodded. "Yeah, but he's still fairly strong, and a good fighter" he said.

"So how strong is he if he's near the bottom?" she asked curiously.

"Hmm… well, if he put all his energy into it, he could probably destroy the planet too" Gohan said. Noting the shocked look on Videl's face, he quickly continued. "Destroying planets actually isn't too hard once you've been training for a while, as crazy as it sounds" he explained. "This stuff is crazy powerful, which is why we need to train control over it. If we didn't, well, every stray blast of mine in a battle could wipe out a city or more. That's just the small ones."

"When we fight to protect Earth it's especially important. Our enemies don't care about causing as little destruction as possible, so what we usually do is shoot condensed blasts whenever they have a chance of going off against the surface. Ones that hit hard but don't have as destructive a detonation. For our more destructive attacks, well, we don't dare risk them where the buckshot can reach a city or anything. We'll usually try to aim them up if we can, so they don't have any risk of hitting the planet. And then we… What?" he stopped, noticing the perplexed look on Videl's face.

Videl started, eyes widening. "Oh, uh, nothing, I just didn't realize how much of an art you guys had turned… defending the planet into."

Gohan chuckled, not noticing the color in her cheeks. "Well, if you're going to do something, do it right, am I right?"

Videl shook her head. "That's not entirely what I meant" she said. "I mean… you agreed to train me for sure, but when I ask all these questions, you almost seem like you're _eager_ to answer" she said. "You were so withdrawn at school, I have no idea while you're so willing now."

Gohan's smile dropped a bit. "You know… I didn't think about it much either" he admitted. "I guess… I really only kept everything to myself before because I wanted to fit in. Being able to talk about my life without having anyone try to put me in a straightjacket is, I dunno, refreshing?"

Videl frowned, realizing that had she heard all this a few weeks ago, she likely would have done exactly that. " _I'm kind of a dick…"_ she thought.

"Anyways" Gohan said. "We should get back to it. We have a lot to work on, so let's do it!"

Videl smiled. "Right, yeah" she said, calling upon her inner power once more.

* * *

Videl collapsed, breathing hard. "Done… I… I'm done…" she panted.

Gohan held his hand out and sent another light piece of energy into her. As it soaked into her, she felt her energy to move returning, but she was still fatigued beyond all belief. "I feel like roadkill…" she muttered.

They had gone nonstop for hours, until the sky was stained orange. Alternating practices between meditating to help her draw her ki out easier and performing physical enhancements with it. She felt like she made progress. Albeit slow and painful progress.

"You did really great today Videl" Gohan praised. "I knew you'd catch on quicker because of how long you've been practicing martial arts, but this is way more than I thought! Getting down the basics of strengthening the first day you pull your ki out? That's insane!"

"I feel insane for putting myself through this" she said as she sat up. "So I'm guessing that I should probably avoid using this power when I'm fighting crime?" she asked.

Gohan nodded. "Not for long, but yeah, leave it for now" he said. "This stuff is strong, and if you can punch through stone and trees no problem-"

"Yup, gory mess on my hands, got it" she said, cringing a bit at the image.

He smiled. "Don't worry, when you get a bit more control over your output, I'll teach you something new, and you can use that to help you fight" he said.

"Mmm" Videl grunted, reaching into her pocket. "Let's see… there" she said as she pulled out the capsule containing her jet copter, and tossed it to the ground. A moment passed, and she frowned. "Why isn't it opening?" she asked.

Gohan chuckled nervously. "Well… Usually you have to press the button on a capsule to activate it" he said.

…

Videl facepalmed. "Of course…" she muttered to herself as she strode forward and reached into the grass. "For real this time."

Not forgetting to click the button, she tossed the capsule back to the ground, before the plume of smoke billowed up and the vehicle made its appearance. Videl started towards the vehicle, before pausing. After a moment passed, Gohan grew worried. "Uh, Videl?" he asked. "Is everything alright?"

"Just thinking" Videl sighed. "Honestly, as tired as I am, I don't think I should be flying right now" she admitted. "I hate to ask, but is there any way you know how to fly one of these things?"

"Well, I've never done it before, no" Gohan shook his head. "But if you're worried about getting home, I can always fly you back?"

"Fly me back? Like, by yourself?" Videl asked.

Gohan gave her a smile. "You don't think I can carry you?" he asked jokingly.

"That's not it" Videl said. "I just… You know what, if you're alright with that, that would be great" she admitted.

"No problem at all, it'll only take a few minutes anyways" Gohan assured her.

"Minutes? Damn Son, just how fast do you fly?" she asked.

With a smirk, he shook his head. "It'll take a few minutes so that I'm not going to fast for you. I don't want to give you whiplash with the five second trip" he said.

"...The worst part is, I'm pretty sure you're not bluffing" she huffed.

Gohan floated over and shrunk her vehicle for her, grabbing the capsule out of the air and handing it to her. She pocketed it, before looking to Gohan. "So do you want me to climb on your back?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'll carry you, don't worry Videl, I know how tired you are" he said. "I could catch you if you fell off of me, but something tells me you aren't in a mood to go free falling."

"You know, you're a lot better at reading the room than you put off at school" she teased.

Gohan chuckled. "I'm new to social situations, but I'm not completely inept" he said. "Anyways, are you ready?"

With a nod, he scooped her up bridal style before taking to the air. He ascended slowly, getting some altitude in before he was ready to fly towards Satan City. As they rose, Videl clutched onto his arm a little tighter. He gave her an confused look. "What's wrong? Are you afraid of heights?" he asked.

Videl blushed, shaking her head. "N-no" she said defiantly. "I'm just… not used to them without a floor under me" she admitted.

"Trust me, I won't drop you."

"I know that" Videl barked, looking more abashed by the second. "It's just a new feeling…"

"Alrighty then" Gohan said amusedly. His aura flicked softly around him, heating the air as he took off through the sky. Videl flinched slightly as they accelerated, but relaxed as Gohan evened out the pace. It was a beautiful flight, as dusk was falling, the orange had begun to leave the sky for a deep purple. It was colder at the altitude they were at, but Gohan's energy created a pocket of warmth as the landscape flashed by beneath them.

"This is… Wow" Videl breathed. "It's beautiful."

Gohan smiled. "You'll be able to do this on your own soon enough" he said. "It really is a free sort of feeling."

"I'll bet..."

"Speaking of, you're gonna need to rest your body to be ready for the next training session" Gohan told her. "I know you're tired, but I want you to take tomorrow off to replenish yourself, no matter how restored you feel when you wake up in the morning."

Videl frowned. "I'd like that a lot" she said. "But we've got an annoying case going on right now. To the point of nearly being impossible, I've gotta be on deck for it."

"What's the case about?" Gohan asked curiously.

"Well, it's a string of robberies" she said. "Nothing incredibly major, but robberies nonetheless."

"Well, what's been stolen?"

"That's the weird part" Videl said. "We're fairly certain it's all being done by one person, but the things stolen are ridiculous. An electronics store was robbed, but really, the only thing the owner caught missing was a new model of CD player, an expensive headset, and a rather large portion of the music section, specifically the metal bands."

"Various grocery stores have reported minor robberies too, but even smaller ones. They probably wouldn't even notice if the thief wasn't caught on camera."

"He was caught on camera? Why not use that to find out who it is?" Gohan asked.

"That's the frustrating part" Videl said. "He's wearing a baggy coat everywhere, with the hood up. We haven't gotten a visual on his physical traits at all. Though…"

"Though?"

"Well, he seems to be a novice at this, because he's left pieces of DNA all over the scene, but at the same time, he's never once tripped an alarm, and he's never been seen entering or exiting the places he robs."

"If he left DNA, why not use that to track him down?" Gohan asked confusedly.

"You don't think we already tried that?" Videl huffed. "DNA was inconclusive, didn't match ANYTHING on record. We've found brown hairs and what appear to be _red_ skin cells, and he looks human enough from what we glanced, but the science isn't able to tell _what_ he is."

Gohan frowned. "That's a tricky one" he admitted. "The first thing that comes to mind is Androids, if you can't find anything on them, but no one still around knows how to create Androids, and I doubt if there was one running around, it would be just doing petty crimes. They probably wouldn't be leaving skin cells unless they were organic, but if they were organic they'd probably be on record."

Videl blinked as the city lights came into view. "It's stumping the entire force. There's no pattern, and it all seems minor, yet he can get in and out of anywhere without a hassle."

"I'm sure you guys will solve it soon" Gohan assured her. "But sometimes you need to take a rest day, especially after what you went through today."

"Just because I know that doesn't mean I have to like it" Videl snapped.

"No, but it does mean you know I'm right" Gohan teased.

"Yeah yeah, I'll take a stupid day off" she huffed.

"See, that's the spirit!"

Videl rolled her eyes. "Anyways, my hotel's right there" she said, pointing over to the rather large building.

Gohan nodded. "I see it" he said, turning and landing atop it.

Letting go of her, Videl landed on her feet, albeit slightly wobbly. She let out a breath. "Thanks for the ride, Gohan" she said gratefully.

"Not a problem, Videl" Gohan said with a smile, already floating back into the air. "I should get back home before my mom gets too anxious. She knows I can handle myself, but… well, parents."

Videl snorted as she recalled a slew of times her father was far more fretful than Chi-Chi could ever be… Which is saying something because she had seen that woman put on a few intense shows just over the few visits she had over to the household. "I get it" she said. "Have a good night, Gohan."

"Yeah, you too Videl" Gohan said. "You know what, I'll take crime off your hands tomorrow so you can rest easy. Just recover, alright?"

"Yeah yeah, you got it Saiyadork."

"I'm not a dork!" Gohan protested.

"Just because we're friends doesn't make you any less of a dork" Videl countered.

Gohan pouted for a moment before he rose further into the air and began flying out of the city. Her last dregs of energy quickly fading, Videl made her way down back into the hotel and towards her room. She barely made it inside and collapsed on her bed before she had fallen into a dead sleep, secretly thankful for the day off. " _I'm gonna need it…"_ was her last thought before oblivion swallowed her consciousness.

* * *

 **Later**

* * *

The two security guards snuck through the isles as silently as they could. The faint rustling sounds were growing louder as they moved. Hands gripping their batons and flashlights, they rounded the corner and put the spotlight on the culprit.

"FREEZE" one of them bellowed.

The figure before them yelped. The light briefly illuminated a flash of red hidden within the dar coat…

The air rippled around the thief, before he completely disappeared from sight, vanishing on the spot. Leaving nothing but two dumbfounded security guards.

"Did… did you just see that?"

"I saw it, but I don't believe it. What the heck is going on here?"

* * *

 **Please let that be a satisfying chapter, please let that be a satisfying chapter…**

 **Sorry about the wait, I have no idea where my motivation went. Whenever I had free time, I usually couldn't get the words out. It wasn't my intention to make the wait two months long, but sorry it ended up being as such.**

 **I tried to make it an interesting chapter to make up for the wait, even if it's not quite as long as some previous ones. Got Videl learning the ropes, which as you can see, is going to be functioning** _ **very**_ **differently than the original story. Before, she just wanted to fly. Gohan's teaching her all the tricks of the trade this time. I also gave a bit of a larger teaser than I did previously to something I was excited to do for this story, a certain character. It's not an OC, for those of you that are wondering, but the individual had such little screen time that he might as well be. They've already appeared as well, and for some people, I may have dropped enough hints for you to figure it out. Who knows though.**

 **MAJORMATT1234 - Well, it's definitely going by differently. Gohan's also keeping his whole lineage deal close to the chest for now, wonder where that's gonna go…**

 **Iwik - Yup, I'm trying to slow down Videl's progress while still making her a relatively quick learner. Hopefully the route I'm taking is appealing and entertaining.**

 **TwistedWizardLizard - Well, I sorta understand that, but don't think Videl isn't going to be decently powerful by the end of it. She's just not jumping right on top of it within the first few hours. I got my reasons.**

 **One last time, I apologize for the long wait. Hopefully next time isn't as long, but until then, whenever it is, feel free to leave a review on your thoughts, and I'll see you guys next time!**


End file.
